30 INSECT ARCHITECTURE. 



at this early season. As the bees had clng a hole in the 

 bank, where they were incessantly entering and reappearing, 

 we were of opinion that they were a peculiar sort of the 

 social earth-bees (^Bomli). On approaching the spot, how- 

 ever, we remarked that the bees were not alaimed, and 

 manifested none of the irritation usual in such cases, the 

 consequence of jealous affection for their young. This led 

 us to observe their operations more minutely ; and we soon 

 discovered that on issuing from the hole each bee carried out 

 in its mandibles a piece of clay. Still supposing that they 

 were social earth-bees, we concluded that they were busy 

 excavating a hollow for their nest, and carrying off the 

 refuse to prevent discovery. The mouth of the hole was 

 overhung, and partly concealed, by a large pebble. This 

 we removed, and widened the entrance of the whole, intend- 

 ing to dig down and ascertain the state of the operations ; 

 but we soon found that it was of small depth. The bees, 

 being scared away, began scooping out clay from another 

 hole about a yard distant from the first. Upon our with- 

 drawing a few feet from the first hole, they returned thither 

 in preference, and continued assiduously digging and remov- 

 ing the clay. It became obvious, therefore, from their thus 

 changing place, that they were not constructing a nest, 

 but merely quarrying for clay as a building material. By 

 catching one of the bees ( Osmia bicornis') when it was loaded 

 with its burden, we ascertained that the cla}^ was not only 

 carefully kneaded, but was also more moist than the mass 

 from which it had been taken. The bee, therefore, in pre- 

 paring tlie pellet, which was nearly as large as a garden- 

 pea, had moistened it with its saliva, or some similar fluid, 

 to render it, we may suppose, more tenacious, and better 

 fitted for building. The reason of their digging a hole, 

 instead of taking clay indiscriminately from the bank, 

 appeared to be for the purpose of economizing their saliva, 

 as the weather was dry, and the clay at the surface was 

 parched and hard. It must have been this circumstance 

 which induced them to prefer digging a hole, as it were, in 

 concert, though each of them had to build a separate nest. 

 The distance to which they carried the clay was probably 



