THE BEES WHICH WE PASS BY. 



217 



The Kobber Fly. 



roadside flowers which so closely resembles in appear- 

 ance the golden bumblebee that I must draw atten- 

 tion to the points which distinguish tliem apart. 



One is called Eristalis flavipes. It is a near 

 relative of the drone fly and a harmless sipper of 

 honey. The other is called the robber fly, 

 and its Latin name is Laphria, or Da- 

 syllis tergissa. This bloodthirsty indi- 

 vidual hangs about the flowers of my 

 garden, or carries itself with inno- 

 cent mein on the roadside golden - 

 rod, as though it was bent on honey ; 

 but let a small insect approach too 

 near and the murderous hypocrite will poimce upon 

 it, thrust a horny bill in its side, and draw every drop 

 of blood from its body. We can always identify him 

 by two or three unmistakable characteris- 

 tics : he has only two wings, not four 

 like the bumblebee or any other bee ; 

 then his shoulders are dull-gold color 

 and are not humjjed like those of the 

 bumblebee ; besides, there is the for- 

 midable horny bill which, under a glass, 

 bears no resemblance whatever to the bumblebee's 

 honey tongue. Still another robber fly {Promachus 

 hastardi), of a wasplike figure, is frequently seen 

 among the roadside flowers. 



