New South Wales. 239 



that, as the weight below increases, the stalk and button must 

 also be increased above, which they may be seen augmenting 

 with great perseverance. They then increase the number of the 

 cells, making them nearly equal in length, which is generally one 

 inch and a half or two inches. The surface next the tree, that 

 is, the bottom of the cells (for the open end is always downmost, 

 and they build downwards), is covered carefully over with a 

 gummy substance of a silky aspect, but dry and brittle. The 

 bottoms of the cells externally are distinct and circular. The 

 button and stalk are of a pyramidal figure, very broad near the 

 base, and contracting as they approach the upper end next the 

 tree. 



At the bottom of each cell, and covered with a thin substance, 

 like tissue-paper, is a dark brown substance, composed of parti* 

 cles of wood comminuted, and similar to saw-dust. It certainly 

 is not the young animal, but it may be stored up as food for it 

 in its earliest stages of existence. Each cell is cemented to those 

 next it by a hard glutinous matter, which may be obtained i|^ 

 considerable quantities near the bottom of the cells, as they are 

 all tapering below, and wide above, and the interstices are filled 

 with this substance, by which they are joined to one another, 

 and to the covering that spreads out from the stalk, by which it 

 is fastened to the tree. The nests themselves are rounded be- 

 low, and circular horizontally. The cells are not always exactly 

 hexagonal ; they are, however, placed in very distinct rows, but 

 they are neither so elegantly formed as the cells of bees, nor dp 

 they contain any liquid, nor is any use made of their contents. 

 The cells are about two-fifths of an inch diameter, of different 

 lengths, and the breadth of the whole nest is seldom more than 

 that of the crown of a hat. 



The insects connected with one nest are not numerous, 

 sometimes amounting to twelve or twenty, sometimes to a few 

 more. When the cells arc formed, they seem to take great plea- 

 sure in going over them in succession, pushing their heads into 

 the cells, and adding small portions to them by means of their 

 long tongues, palpi, and forceps. They hatch their young in 

 these ; and, when the young animal is in the cell, they close the 

 mouth of it with the fine tissue-paper like substance, of which 

 the sides of the cells arc composed. ,, ^ 



