40 The Honey-Makers 



on the side of the head, and probably each one gives an 

 image independently of the other. In Butler's " Feminin 

 Monarchi," written in 1609, and reprinted in 1634, occurs 

 a description of the bee's eyes too funny to omit ; and 

 modern science will look askance at it, though the ordinary 

 reader, unscientific but observant, after looking a bee in 

 the face, will at least sympathize with Butler's dilemma. 

 For how could a man in 1634 expect to find a creature's 

 eyes covering both sides of its head ? Says Buder, — 



" Her two cheeks being transparent like lanthorn, do 

 serve, though immovable, instead of eyes ; through which 

 the species of things visible are conveyed to the common 

 sense." 



When examined by the microscope, the eye of the bee is 

 found to be constructed on a plan somewhat resembling 

 that of our own eyes, there being lenses, rods, and nerve- 

 ends. The outer lens found in each facet of the bee's eye 

 is biconvex, and this is fortified by another lens just back of 

 it, which is long and cone-shaped. 



The rods and nerve-endings back of these lenses are 

 complex and difficult to understand, and it is enough to 

 know that the facets of the compound eyes are very tele- 

 scopic in action, enabling the bee by means of them to see 

 far better at a distance than near at hand. 



Its chief need of eyes is to discover flowers, and conse- 

 quently its compound eyes are probably httle more than 

 highly trained blossom detectives. It appears to have but 

 one idea when it goes abroad, and that is to find a nectar- 

 fiowing flower as soon as possible. 



With its eyes to discover distant masses of color, and its 

 antennse to scent the nectar as it approaches, it is very well 

 qualified to accomplish its wishes. But these great com- 

 pound eyes after all are not much better than a pair of 

 telescopes pointing about in search of clover heads, and 



