42 



The cuckoo bee bears a close resemblance to the bee whose domain it invades. The 

 chief difference that appears is that, whereas the industrious bee has the broad hollowed 

 shank which all the pollen collectors have, the parasite has a rounded shank. 



But there is a third insect, strangely like both the others, which frequents the nest y 

 and which is not a bee at all, but a two-winged fly — an insect more to be dreaded than 

 the cuckoo bee. The young of the cuckoo bee eats the pollen that has been provided for 

 another larva ; the young of the fly eats the larva itself. Mr. Noel Humphreys thus 

 describes the creature and its operations : — 



" This odious looking creature, with its broad tail, armed with sharp spines, and its- 

 muscular body tapering to the head, and furnished with rigid serrations along each side,, 

 forms a striking contrast to the soft helpless larva of the bee. Like all the larva? of the 

 Syrphidas to which the genus Volucella belongs, it is blind, but resting attached by the broad 

 tail, it moves its head rapidly about as a feeler, before changing its position. The spines 

 at the tail may be adapted to enable it to raise itself up the smooth sides of the cell of 

 the bee larva, in case that one infant bee should prove insufficient, and that it might 

 require to pass on to the next cradle. But it may be as well to describe the progress of 

 the parasitic larva on the supposition that one baby bee will prove enough for its purpose. 

 The devoted larva of the bee, then, is gradually eaten alive by the parasite, which, with 

 seemingly horrible instinct, spares all the actually vital parts, taking only the more fleshy 

 portions, until the carnivorous young Volucella feels itself full fed and ready to undergo 

 its torpid state of change. Then the last remains of the wretched infant bee are greedily 

 consumed, and the parasite passes into its sleepy chrysaline stage, taking its long siesta 

 in the comfortable cradle whose infant tenant it has devoured, and from which it event- 

 ually comes boldly forth in all the pride of its winged and perfect state, walking out of the 

 bee-home as from its own proper abode, and attracting no notice whatever from the bees 

 in whose nursery it has performed the odious act of eating a baby bee, and appropriating 

 its comfortable cradle eell. The stolid unconsciousness with which the bees allow this 

 insect vampire to pass out and escape from the scene of its horrid proceedings with im- 

 punity, has induced some naturalists to believe that the carnivorous Volucella owes its 

 safety to the complete disguise in the colouring of the bee, which is supposed to be so 

 perfect as to deceive the bees themselves into the belief that these strangers are members 

 of their own fraternity." 



Instances of Mimetic Analogy are not confined to the insect tribes. Did the reader 

 ever see a flock of young grey turkeys throw themselves upon a granite rock and lie 

 motionless keeping a watchful eye on the hawk gliding in the sky above them 1 How 

 closely do the female Bob-o'link and its eggs resemble in their colours the foliage around 

 the nest ! How difficult it is to distinguish the young of the ruffed grouse as they 

 crouch in the herbage when an intruder comes suddenly upon them. It cannot be doubted 

 that numberless lives are prolonged, by the resemblances to surrounding objects, and the 

 instinct to make the most of these resemblances, with which God in His providential care 

 has gifted so many of His creatures. 



NOTE ON THE TIGER BEETLES. 



BY REV. THOMAS W. FYLES, SOUTH QUEBEC. 



The insects called Tiger Beetles (Figs. 25 and 26) are predatory 

 in their nature, very active in their habits, and elegant in their 

 appearance. Many of them are perfect gems, clean cut and 

 polished. 



The plan pursued by the larvae (Fig. 27) of the 

 Tiger Beetles for capturing their prey was first made 

 known by M. Desmarets. The account reads like a 

 chapter in one of those dreadful sensational stories, in 

 which trap-doors are made to open upon indescribable 

 Fig. 25. Fig.Ji; Fig. 27. horrors. 



The Cicindela larva sinks a narrow shaft about a foot deep in the soil, then climbs 



