MASON-BEES. 



35 



had, no doubt, already dug his way out of its prison, 

 and would probably fall a victim to the first frost. 



Our nest contained only two cells — perhaps from 

 there not beino- room between the bricks for more. 



Cells of a 3Iason-Bcc (Anthopkora relusa.)— One third the natural size. 



An interesting account is given by Reaumur of ano- 

 ther mason-bee {Megachile muraria), selecting earthy 

 sand, grain by grain; her gluing a mass of these toge- 

 ther with saliva, and building with them her cells from 

 the foundation. But the cells of the Greenwich Park 

 nest were apparently composed of the mortar of the 

 brick wall; though the external covering seems to 

 have been constructed as Reaumur describes his 

 nest, with the occasional addition of small stones. 



About the middle of May, 1829, we discovered the 

 mine from which all the various species of mason-bees 

 in the vicinity seemed to derive materials for their 

 nests.* It was a bank of brown clay, facing the east, 

 and close by the margin of the river Ravensbourn, at 

 Lee, in Kent. The frequent resort of the bees to this 

 spot attracted the attention of some workmen, who, 

 deceived by their resemblance to wasps, pointed it out 

 as a wasp's nest; though they were not a little 

 surprised to see so numerous a colony at this early 

 season. As the bees had dug a hole in the bank, 



JR 



