THE CAXADIAX ENTOMOLOGIST. 173^ 



■were no shallow grooves, denoting lines of demarcation. With this- 

 unimportant difference, the general outline of the mud mass, with its 

 combination of pellets, was exactly similar to that constructed by the 

 mud-dauber. Had the lines of separation existed, I should have had no 

 hesitancy in characterizing it as a case either of usurpation of instinct 

 upon the part of the Me^acJiUc^ or one of confiscation of property. 



Within, exposed to view by detacluuent from the aforesaid rafters, were 

 what I supposed to be the leafy cells of McgacJiilc. The length of these 

 and the peculiar disposition of their parts, materially difterent from what 

 I had always observed, operated upon my mind to such an extent that I 

 was almost constrained to believe that I had met with something altogether 

 new to science, or else that I had been fortunate enough to discover a 

 species of Pclopicus with J/<';;'^r////^-like habits. 



Each cell was one and one-eighth inches in length, with a diameter 

 slightly exceeding one-fourth of an inch. It was built of elliptical pieces 

 snip[)ed from the leaves of a species of Spinca (S. corymbosa^ it seemed 

 to me.) The pieces were of less dimensions than those before alluded 

 to, and arranged somewhat on a similar plan, except that there was a 

 strong appearance of a double cell, as if the inferior concavity of one 

 cell had been deposited in the superior concavity or mouth of the other. 

 This resemblance held true to a certain extent, but the absence of a 

 clear line of division between the two seemed to militate against the idea 

 of a double arrangement. 



Having kept a few of the cells a reasonable length of time, until all 

 hope of seeing insects emerge therefrom had vanished, I began the work 

 of destruction by carefully pulling some of them to pieces. While 

 engaged in my labor I was led to notice the comparative ease with which 

 each relative structure separated in the middle. Within the aperture cf 

 one cell was a cylindrical pouch, composed of pure silk, glazed within by 

 an oily secretion from the larva. This containsd a perfect, but dead 

 bee, which was readily identified as Megachilc caituticularis. The lower 

 half of the same enclosed a similar silken sack, with fragments of legs^ 

 wings, antennce and complete body segments, with a mass of debris which 

 showed the clearest evidence of the ravages of some ruthless destrover. 

 Under a glass of moderate power, I had little difticulty in recognizing the 

 fragments as parts of a Megachilc similar to the above. 



This last fact impressed me as peculiarly interesting and novel, as- 

 showing the economy which exists and is practiced among certain 



