95 



manage to attract the people's attention, and they fol- 

 low the birds, doubting nothing, and when they reach 

 the spot the bird guide sits coolly by on some neighbor- 

 ing branch and watches the proceedings, and when the 

 honey is secured and the people are about to leave, they 

 always fix a large piece of their spoil in some bush for 

 their little feathered friend, which has thus rendered 

 them valuable assistance. They deem it a great abuse 

 not to leave any for the bird, and if they cheat it in 

 this way it sometimes leads them away into the forest 

 where there is no nest. 



The large humble bees are well known to all and 

 their familiar hum is not unpleasant, as they pursue 

 their aerial circles on nice warm days. Their bodies 

 are black except some woolly fur on their thorax which 

 is green or yellowish. Their honey baskets are quite 

 perceptible, and when filled with pollen are very curi- 

 ous, looking like large yellow legs. Their nests are 

 mostly placed upon the ground in tall grass or in rail 

 heaps or small holes. When their home is torn up 

 or disturbed the owners get very angry and the author 

 of the disturbance had better take to his heels if he 

 does- not wish to have some very unpleasant feelings 

 about the face and hands. The sweet odor coming 

 from one of these nests indicates that there is some- 

 thing good inside. There are two kinds of humble 

 bees, one of which does not sting. This is well known 

 to children who delight to play with and handle the 

 white-heads, as they are called. These have a small 

 yellow spot upon their foreheads, from which their 

 name is derived. The others have black all over their 

 heads and are fierce stingers. 



