28 INSECT ARCHITECTURE. 



caterpillars lliose names which indicate the character of 

 their labours ; and which, though they ma}^ be considered 

 a little fanciful, are at least calculated to arrest the 

 attention. The nests of mason-bees are constructed of 

 various materials; some with sand, some with earth mixed 

 with chalk, and some with a mixture of earthy substances 

 and wood. 



On the north-east wall of Greenwich Park, facing the 

 road, and about four feet from the ground, we discovered 

 (J. E.), December lOtli, 1828, the nest of a mason bee, 

 formed in the perpendicular line of cement between two 

 bricks. Externally there was an irregular cake of dry mud, 

 precisely as if a handful of wet road-stuff had been taken 

 from a cart-rut and thrown against the wall ; though, upon 



Mason-Bee.— (.4rti/ioj)/trtra ?-ei«sa).— Natural size. 



closer inspection, the cake contained more small stones than 

 usually occur in the mud of the adjacent cart-ruts. AVe 

 should in fact have passed it by without notice had there 

 not been a circular hole on one side of it, indicating the 

 perforation of some insect. Tliis hole was found to be the 



orifice of a cell about an inch deep, exactly of tlie form 

 and size of a lady's tliimble, finel}^ polished, and of the 

 colour of plaster-of-Paris, but stained in various places with 

 yellow. 



