issuing from little breathing places situated, as in the common fly,
on each side of the corselet, produced a sort of a song.

As if attracted by the song, these insects flew in swarms to the
flower-bed. Very soon it was evident that they were heavier when
they went away than when they came. Two large, round, red and
yellow, or rather golden balls loaded their brilliant brown thighs.
Some of them plunged into the bosom of a lily. Raising herself on
tiptoe, Piccolissima kept them in view. She saw their slanting
teeth, which formed the point of their triangular head, open and
close like two strong pincers, and shake the tops of the stamens.
She had never noticed before, but now she perceived, at the end of
the six threads in the centre of the flower, a sort of little green
box; this was the anther. These flies pressed it and pulled it, till
it opened and scattered a quantity of little yellow pellets, which
covered the insects so thoroughly, that they and the flowers seemed
to have changed garments, so completely were they clothed with it.

Piccolissima could contain herself no longer. She cried out to her
sister, whom she saw coming towards her:

"O, come, come quickly! See the flies putting on their ball dresses,
and making their toilet in the cup of a flower."

Linette, still at a distance, did not hasten her steps,
notwithstanding the exclamations of her sister; and before she came,
Piccolissima was convinced that the flies did not think much of
their brilliant toilet. She saw them push off all their finery by
means of the brushes with which their legs were furnished. These
excellent little square brushes were placed on their hind legs