June, 1901.] Smith : On Some Digger Bees. 55 



this cluster from the side or below, otherwise it would break by its 

 own weight and fall into the pit. This actually happened more than 

 once. Of course as the pit filled from the sand scraped off its side, it 

 was shovelled out from time to time to afford working room. Fin- 

 ally, when the plaster-filled tube was laid bare for its full length, ar- 

 rangements could be made to take it out ; which was a decidedly tick- 

 lish task. As the sand was moist, the cast naturally could not dry 

 out completely nor the plaster set hard. It had a chalky appearance 

 and feeling, and snapped in the most unexpected places in the most 

 disconcerting manner. I have bared a perfect cast, lifted it out care- 

 fully and held it safe upright ; but attempting to incline it so as to 

 rest against a sunny slope, the whole thing collapsed, breaking into 

 many pieces — to the great damage of my soul's weal, unless the re- 

 cording angel kindly closed his or her ears temporarily. After a 

 number of similar mishaps we decided to take the matter into our own 

 hands, make no attempt to get perfect casts, but break them where we 

 judged most desirable. Usually, therefore, the perpendicular was 

 broken about six inches below the lower cluster and this left us any- 

 where from 20 to 30 inches of one-fourth inch pipe stem which 

 could be laid down on the warm sand to dry out. The second break 

 was usually made below the first cell cluster and after that it depended 

 on circumstances. A reference to Plate IV, Figs. 16 and 17, will show 

 the general appearance of the casts secured at this time and also the 

 difficulty of securing a structure like this in one piece. Of course all 

 the parts of one cast were carefully kept together and usually notes 

 were made at the time, detailing the number of clusters, etc. 



All the work done by Mr. Brakeley was elaborately noted. Every 

 cast had a stick bearing a number and the quantity in ounces of 

 plaster that had been poured in. This was useful as indicating a 

 simple or a complicated system and was to some extent a guide in 

 the digging operations. After an hour in the hot sun or dry sand, the 

 casts were much more safely handled and much lighter. They were 

 then laid carefully into a box especially made for that purpose and 

 carried to the house. 



Incidentally, it may be noted that the bee mines were from one- 

 fourth to one-half miles away from the house and that everything, 

 including the water, had to be carried out and back again. What 

 with graduates, plaster, jars and other paraphernalia for digging, this 

 made quite a load. 



