COLLOQUIA ENTOMOLOGICA. 493 



sides, as if in search of a tit-bit, began their meal ; and I 

 observed, when they wished to taste the sweets of a floret near 

 their mouth, they did not alter their position, but, bending 

 their trunk in the shape of a syphon, plunged it into its 

 nectary. 



Ent. Look at those butterflies, full of enjoyment, basking 

 in the bright sunshine, now spreading out their wings — 

 maculis insignts et auro — or, if the shadow of a cloud passes 

 over, suddenly closing them, and in an instant shooting up a 

 dark line against the sky, which, standing out from amidst the 

 florets, reminds one of a furled banner towering above the 

 bristling lances of some warlike host ; 



Tyro. — or, " parva componere magnis" — like the spiry 

 aloe, piercing out from the lion-haunted brushwood of South 

 Africa ; which, seen by some pious missionary, as he addresses 

 himself to repose after a weary day's journey, pointing upwards 

 to the calm moon-lit sky, raises his thoughts to Heaven, and he 

 forgets the fatigues and dangers of his toilsome way, in the con- 

 templation of peaceful realms of everlasting rest, to gain which 

 for himself and his fellow men, he has exchanged a happy home 

 for the dangers that now surround him. — I want to know, and 

 I don't doubt you can tell me, the name of a bee which sadly 

 disfigures Stachys lanigera in ray garden ; it seems as great 

 an enemy to this plant as the leaf-cutter bee is to the rose, 

 making holes in its leaves ; and this it does not effect like that 

 insect, by cutting pieces out, but by despoiling them of their 

 down, often in little patches; — the portions of the leaf thus 

 deprived of their natural covering, dry up, and soon decay, 

 from exposure to the influence of the sun and rain. 



Ent. Your little depredator is the female of Anthldium 

 manicatum. 



Tyro. I was a good deal amused with them ; they are 

 remarkably industrious little creatures : one I watched was so 

 intent on her work as to let me get near enough to hear her 

 pluck up the down, which she did with a noise like that of a 

 horse grazing. Every successive mouthful was thrust under 

 her body, where it seemed to be formed into a little ball ; 

 when she had collected enough, she flew off" with it, bending 

 in her head and tail to keep he\; load in its place — but I never 

 could track her home. 



Ent. I believe she uses it to cover the outside of her cells : 



