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Among the insects which in some way or other prey upon the humble bee may be- 

 mentioned the closely allied genus Apathus, the members of which outwardly look very 

 like the true humble-bee, but differ from them in possessing no pollen-collecting apparatus, 

 and in having no worker or neuter forms. They live on apparently most friendly terms. 

 with their good-natured hosts, but what part they play in the economy of the community, 

 beyond living with them as visitors, is not known. 



Another insect, though only a two- winged fly (Vollucella), also very closely resembles. 

 a humble-bee in appearance; it frequents the bees' nests and in its larval state devours, 

 the brood and stores. Various beetles are frequently found in the nests, and a tiny moth, 

 nearly allied to the common clothes-moth, infests the abode and bears some part in the- 

 general raid upon the lives and property of the poor humble bees. 



These numerous though tiny enemies 'would seem to be enough to prevent any undue 

 increase of numbers among our friends, but there are still others of a much larger growth. 

 Not to mention again the ordinary boy who does his full share in the work of decimating 

 the numbers of the humble-bees, they are vigorously preyed upon at night by the 

 unsavoury skunk. This animal, which by the way deserves commendation for destroying 

 myriads of "June beetles," and other noxious insects, hunts for the nests of the bees 

 during its nocturnal rambles, and when found tears them open and makes a sweet meal, 

 upon the larvae and other contents of the nest. 



A still more serious enemy is the field-mouse; possibly it is actuated by the feeling of 

 revenge, and wishes to make reprisals upon the bees for taking possession of its abandoned 

 nests, by devouring the honey-comb. The part which these four-legged vermin plav in the- 

 economy of nature in connection with the bees is thus curiously described by the great 

 Naturalist Darwin, in his " Origin of Species." 



"We may infer," he says, "as highly probable that were the whole genus of humble- 

 bees to become extinct or very rare in England, the heart's ease and red clover (which 

 they fertilize by carrying pollen from flower to flower), would become very rare or wholly 

 disappear. The number of humble-bees in any district depends in a great degree on the 

 number of field-mice which destroy their combs and nests; and Colonel Newman, who 

 has long attended to the habits of humble bees, believes that more than two-thirds of 

 them are thus destroyed all over England. Now the number of mice is largely dependent,. 

 as every one knows, on the number of cats. Colonel Newman says that near villages and 

 small towns he has found the nests of humble-bees more numerous than elsewhere — a fact 

 which he attributes to the number of cats that destroy the mice. Hence it is quite 

 credible that the presence of a feline animal in large numbers in a district might deter- 

 mine, through the intervention first of mice, and then of bees, the frequency of certain 

 flowers in a district." , 



So important is this work of pollen carrying by insects for the due fertilization of 

 plants, that repeated efforts have been made to naturalize the humble-bee in Australia. 

 It has been found that the red clover fails to produce its seeds in that country owing to 

 the entire absence of humble-bees, which alone seem able to penetrate its long corolla and 

 carry the pollen from one blossom to another. The proboscis of the honey-bee is too short 

 to effect this object, but it is easily accomplished by the long appendage of the humble- 

 bee. The specimens imported by the Australians failed to survive the long voyage, until 

 quite recently when, we understand, some larvae were taken over and reached their 

 destination alive. It will be a matter of much interest to learn whether successful colonies 

 can be reared in that continent which alone has thus far failed to be a home for the 

 humble-bee. 



BUTTERFLIES. 



BY THE REV. THOMAS W. FTLES, SOUTH QUEBEC. 



What beauty and animation do the butterflies impart to the summer landscape ? 

 What pleasant memories do they recall ! Were they suddenly exterminated what a loss 

 would be felt ! And yet, how many people having eyes see them not — allow them to 



