THE BEE. 89 



tain in regard to this accidental accumulation of pol- 

 len : the BeCj in passing from the corolla of one flower 

 to that of another, covered with the dust that con- 

 stitutes the propagating elements of plants, brushes 

 off a portion of the pollen grains, and, depositing them 

 undesignedly upon such as require them for the pur- 

 poses of generation, she, ia common with many other 

 insects, becomes the unconscious means of promoting 

 the reproductive process in the vegetable kingdom. 



But what is most remarkable in this phenomenon is, 

 that during her journeys in search of food her visits 

 are always confined to one species of flower only (as we 

 stated in treating of bee-bread), so that, to use the 

 words of Mr. Klirby, " they avoid the production of 

 hybrid plants from the application of the pollen of 

 one kind of plant to the stigma of another." 



Now you win understand what was meant by the 

 remark made at the commencement of this chapter, 

 that the Bee " sows and reaps," for she actually per- 

 forms both operations at the same time. And is not 

 this another admirable example of the wisdom with 

 which the Creator has economized the labour of the 

 lower animals, and another striking evidence that no 

 creature has been formed in vain ? Let any sceptic 

 throw discredit on the assertion, and you may at once 

 point to a multitude of those insects that he regards 

 with aversion or indifference, believing them to be 

 utterly useless, or even noxious ; and draw his atten- 

 tion to the fact, that, unknown to him, they are the 

 imconscious means of adorning and beautifying our 



