NOTES BY THE WAY 123 



barely move, and could not be stimulated or fright- 

 ened into any degree of activity; but at night it 

 was alert and wide awake. Of its habits I know 

 little, but it is a pretty and harmless creature. 

 Under another stone was still another species, the 

 violet- colored salamander, larger, of a dark plum- 

 color, with two rows of bright yellow spots down 

 its back. It evinced more activity than its fellow 

 of the moon-bespattered garb. I have also found 

 the little musical red newt under stones, and several 

 small, dark species. 



But to return to the solitary bee. When you go 

 a-hunting of the honey-bee, and are in quest of a 

 specimen among the asters or goldenrod in some 

 remote field to start a line with, you shall see how 

 much this little native bee resembles her cousin of 

 the social hive. There appear to be several varie- 

 ties, but the one I have in mind is just the size of 

 the honey-bee, and of the same general form and 

 color, and its manner among the flowers is nearly 

 the same. On close inspection, its color proves to 

 be lighter, while the under side of its abdomen is 

 of a rich bronze. The body is also flatter and less 

 tapering, and the curve inclines upward, rather than 

 downward. You perceive it would be the easiest 

 thing in the world for the bee to sting an enemy 

 perched upon its back. One variety, with a bright 

 buff abdomen, is called "sweat-bee " by the laborers 

 in the field, because it alights upon their hands and 

 bare arms when they are sweaty, — doubtless in 

 quest of salt. It builds its nest in little cavities 



