ed. Judging from appearances,
he has had his fill of good things, and is now making his leisurely
toilet in the peculiar fashion of his kind, rubbing down his back and
wings with his hind legs, twisting his front feet into spirals, and ever
and anon testing the strength of his elastic neck attachment as he
threatens to pull his head from his body.

This worldly act has been progressing for some moments under the gaze of
a big black digger-wasp, who now concludes to cut it short. When at
close range with his prey, the fly suddenly discovers the unhealthy
location which he occupies, and actually protruding his tongue by way of
parting salute, he is off with a buzz. He has barely taken wing,
however, when a still louder buzz is heard, while a great black
bumblebee follows closely in his wake, until the sounds of both are
lost in the distance. The hum of this bumblebee is a frequent musical
feature of the entertainment, and many is the dance that is set to its
minstrelsy, as the burly insect darts in among the merrymakers and is
off to his perch near by. It is only as we steal away and observe him
closely that we learn the secret of his occasional sorties. There on a
clover blossom he sits--sipping honey? Oh no. It is honey-dew that he is
enjoying, and second-hand at that, as he devours the satiated
bluebottle-fly which is empaled on his black horny beak. For this is
only a bumblebee in masquerade--a carnivorous fly, in truth, which, safe
in its disguise of respectability, hovers in the flowery haunts of the
innocents and, of course, reaps his reward.

And what is this? A yellow-jacket has found an ambrosial attraction here
upon the bramble leaf. Meanwhile a great black and white paper-hornet
has seen his opportunity, and is soon slyly approaching behind the
sipper. That he has designs on that jacket and its contents is apparent.
In a moment the onslaught is consummated, and in the struggle which
ensues the black assailant relieves his victim--of his watch presumably,
for he has captured the entire garment, which he soon rifles and
discards with some show of satisfaction.

And so my carnival proceeds. So it began with the dawn; so it will
continue till dusk; and through the night, with new revels, for aught I
know, and will be prolonged for days or weeks.

* * * * *

Reflective reader, how often, as you have strolled through some nook in
the suburban wood, have you paused in philosophic m