246 



TRANSFORMATIONS OF INSECTS. 



appears to keep a sharp look out for them, and takes care to 

 spare itself all the trouble possible by repairing the broken down 

 'cells and making them as good as new. The female cleans out 

 the inside, removes the debris of the cocoons, and brushes out 

 the skins of the larvae and nymphs, and all uncleanly matters. 

 .Then the holes are repaired, the openings are closed up, and the 

 old nest begins to resemble one of the year. Sometimes the 

 mason bee becomes lazy, and then she penetrates into the nest 



THE Osmia aurulenta and its nest. 



which some other one is making, and, if she likes the position, 

 endeavours to maintain it by force. Reaumur says that when one 

 of these bees was gone to collect some cement wherewith to finish 

 up the cell, M. du Hamel saw another one enter in without any 

 ceremony, crawl all about, and turn everything over, just as if 

 the nest belonged to it. ' That this was not done out of curiosity 

 was gleaned from the fact that when the true mistress oj the 

 nest arrived, laden with building materials, the other one would 

 not allow her to enter, and she was obliged to fight the usurping 



