304 



Marvels of the Universe 



JUPITER. 



In June '18 days, 22 hours. 9 minutest by M. Antoniadi, 



of the satellites, which, though it 

 shines brighth- against the sky, looks 

 dark by contrast with the greater 

 brilliancy of the background near the 

 centre of the planet's disc. 



A BEE ARTISAN 



Bees, like men, exhibit varying de- 

 grees of civilization. Some species, of 

 which the hive bee is the best-known 

 example, dwell in vast communities, 

 cherish one " queen mother " and 

 labour together for the common good. 

 But there are other kinds of bees 

 which shun the society of their fellows. 

 Each one toils alone to promote the 

 well-being of its little family of grubs, 

 and seeks no assistance from its 

 friends and neighbours. These are 

 the so-called " solitary bees," the 

 most interesting of which in their 

 habits are the Leaf-cutters. There 

 are seven British species of these insects, and they all resemble one another in their great skill 

 and ingenuity. In the following paragraphs, however, I shall deal only with the life-story of the 

 particular Leaf-cutting Bee which commonly frequents gardens, both in the country as well as in 



the London suburbs. I have even 

 seen the signs of its toil in a small 

 garden close to the Holloway Road. 

 These signs, by which the presence 

 of the bee in a given localitv may 

 be readily known, take the form of 

 circular and lozenge-shaped gaps in 

 rose-leaves, showing where pieces ha.ve 

 been cut awaj'. 



How and why these cuts are made 

 I shall shortly describe. But in the 

 first place we must consider the origin 

 of the bee's housekeeping. The male 

 of the species is rather smaller than 

 his mate, and his front feet are beset 

 with dense fringes of yellowish hairs 

 — for what purpose I have never been 

 able to discover. But save for the 

 fact that he is the nominal master of 

 the little bee household (in which, by 

 the way, he seems to take not the 

 P slightest interest), he scarcely counts, 



in June l20 days. 21 hours. 16 minutes), by M. Antoniaa,. for he IS H laZy felloW whO paSSeS UlOSt 



