XXII 



AN EXCHANGE OF NESTS 



Let us continue our series of experiments on 

 Chalicodoma muraria. From its position on a stone 

 which one can move at will, its nest lends itself to 

 very interesting trials. This is the first of them. I 

 change the place of a nest by carrying the pebble 

 it is placed on some couple of yards away. 

 Edifice and base forming but one, the move was 

 made without at all disturbing the cells. I set the 

 pebble in an open place well in sight, as it was 

 before. When the bee returned, she could not fail to 

 see it. 



After a few minutes the owner arrived and went 

 straight where the nest used to be. She hovered 

 gently just above the vacant spot, looked, and 

 alighted just where the stone used to lie. There she 

 walked about, searching pertinaciously, then soared 

 up and flew away. Her absence was short ; she 

 came back speedily and resumed her search on foot 

 or on the wing — always on the spot formerly occupied 

 by the nest. A new fit of irritation expressed by a 

 sudden flight through the osier bed, then as sudden 

 a return and resumption of the vain search — always 



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