38 The Bee People. 
It is too bad for the bumble-bee to break 
into the flowers as she does, and we are 
almost ashamed of Miss Honey-Bee for 
following such a bad example. 
It is the flowers with spurs that Madam 
Bombus is most apt to treat in this ungra- 
cious manner. J myself have seen her 
| to a tidy little touch- 
~~ me-not cup, and 
Ss, passingstraight 
J spur at the back, which 
The tidy litle holds the nectar, and 
: with no hesitation what- 
fever thrust her sharp little dagger into the 
spur, slit a hole there, and take out the nectar. 
It is difficult to believe this of a very 
respectable-looking being with several thou- 
sands of solemn eyes that make her look 
many times as wise as an owl, but it only 
proves how little one can rely upon appear- 
ances in this world. 
