78 
NATURE NOTES 
Mr. Daubeny quotes Darwin. I must say that Darwin never distinctly stated 
that the drones were slaughtered by the stings of the bees : he simply suggested, 
or rather surmised so ; he accepted the then prevalent idea in e.xactly the same 
manner as he accepted the then prevalent idea of a rabbit and hare hybrid, which 
Mr. Daubeny should know has never yet been established. If Mr. Daubeny will 
take a drone between finger and thumb and a worker bee in the same position in 
the other hand, and, by bringing them together, allow the worker to actually 
sting the drone, he will find the latter curl up and die in a few seconds. Has Mr. 
Daubeny or anyone else seen the drones act like this when being turned out of 
the hive ? Of course I cannot state that in the course of years a drone has never 
been stung by a worker ; I only give the rule, as, to quote the old bee-man’s 
adage, “ bees do nothing invariably.” 
Binfietd, Berks. W. B. Webster. 
“ Bubbles” (p. 39). — I have at times after rain noticed bubbles on trees like 
the “ spittle of blight,” that is, like cuckoo spittle. The water had probably 
become saturated with the sap exuding from the tree, and thus assumed the 
consistency and likeness of the soapsud bubbles seen by Mr. Maurice. 
Market Weston, Thetford. Ed.MUND Thos. Daubeny. 
February, 1902. 
SELBORNE SOCIETY NOTICES. 
Council Meeting. — The next meeting of the Council will be held at 20, 
Hanover Square, W., on Tuesday, April 15, at 5.30 p.m. 
Annual Meeting and Conversazione. — The Annual Meeting and 
Conversazione will be held on Thursday, May 29, from 8 to ii, at 20, Hanover 
Square, W., the President, the Right Hon. Lord Avebury, D.C.L., F.R.S., &c., 
in the Chair. 
The Council will be glad to have the loan of suitable exhibits for the occasion, 
which will be under the direction of the following gentlemen : — Botany, Mr. 
L. E. Taylor; Geology, Mr. Ed. A. Martin, E.G.S. ; Microscopes, Mr. A. 
Holte Macpherson, M.A., F.Z.S. ; Photographs and other pictures, Mr. A. B. 
Wilkinson ; Zoology, Mr. Basil W. Martin, F.Z.S. 
Members and friends willing to assist in this matter are requested to address 
the director of the department in which they wish to exhibit, care of Mr. R. 
Manshman Wattson, Dalmeny House, Monument Street, E.C. Tickets will be 
ready for issue on April 15, and Branch Secretaries are requested to send their 
applications for members of their branch by that date. 
Members requiring tickets should apply to the local Hon. .Sec., or in the 
case of members unattached to branches, to the Secretary, Selborne Society, 
20, Hanover Square, W. A stamped and addressed envelope (not small) must 
accompany each application. 
It is suggested that a Gilbert White exhibition be held in connection with 
this Conversazione, and the Council hope that those possessing any relics asso- 
ciated with the naturalist of Selborne, or copies of the various editions of his works, 
will kindly volunteer the loan of such olyects by writing to the Secretary as 
soon as possible. 
During the evening a lecture will be given by Mr. P'. Enock on “ Insect 
Marvels of a Town Garden.” 
New Members. — Mrs. M. A. Marshall, Bedford Square; Miss Dorothy 
Fox, Newport, I.W. ; Miss Clara Berendt, Denmark Hill. 
Donations and Subscriptions. — The Council beg to acknowledge the 
following donations: Mrs. Lowther, los. ; and the following subscriptions over 
5s. : Comtesse A. Jenison, los. ; Miss E. Shadwell, los. ; Miss ,M. W. Rankin, 
7s. 6d. ; Rev. A. L. Hussey, 21s. ; Mrs. Minet, 20s. ; Claude Leatham, Esq., 
los. ; Mrs. Wolryche- Whitmore, io.s. 6d. ; Mrs. .M. A. Marshall, los. 6d. ; Mrs. 
Lowther, los. ; ( 1 . A. Musgrave, Esq., F.Z.S., F.R.G.S., 21s. ; Mrs. G. A. 
Musgrave, 21s. ; E. A. Bristowe, Esq., los. 
