24S TRANSFORMATJOiYS OF INSECTS. 



black, and have some red hairs on the thorax, and a white down 

 upon the head. A corresponding down ornaments the first three 

 segments of the abdomen in the females, and all the segments 

 of the male insect. 



The Megachile makes a perpendicular hole in tolerably solid 

 earth, works it downwards for some inches, and then enlarges it 

 into a horizontal gallery of considerable length. This is to be the 

 future nest, and cells will be made in the side. There is nothing 

 very extraordinary in this, for it is the procedure of most of the 

 Sphegidce, Crabronidce, and the solitary bees, but something else is 

 about to be done. The insect flies about the rose bushes, and 

 finally selects a nice leaf, upon which it rests either above or below; 

 it then cuts out a large piece with its mandibles, just as if it had 

 been done by a pair of scissors. No time is lost, and the insect 

 cuts quickly and soon detaches the piece of leaf, which does not 

 fall, however, to the ground, heavy as it appears to be in relation 

 to the small insect, for it is taken up between the legs and the 

 mandibles, whilst the wings are strongly agitated, and the bee 

 flies off with it to the nest. The Megachile will thus cut ten or 

 twelve pieces of leaf of different shapes, and will carry them to 

 the bottom of its galleiy, and there she twists the different pieces- 

 and folds one within the other, so as to form a sort of funnel- 

 shaped cone, the end of which is rather narrower than the orifice. 

 The whole looks something like a long sleeve with folds upon it. 

 The pieces of leaf are not sewn or attached to each other, but 

 they are fitted together so perfectly that they retain their shape 

 even when they become dry. This pretty funnel-shaped cell, of 

 from a quarter to a third of an inch long, is destined to be the 

 residence of a larva of the leaf cutter, for it proceeds to make 

 up a cake of honey and pollen, places it inside, and then lays 

 an egg. Nothing more is rccjuircd but to wall up the nest, and 

 the Megachile goes off to the rose bushes again, where it snips off 

 a circular piece of leaf, of a diameter exactly fitting the opening ; 

 it pushes this leaf so that its sides fit into the walls of the funnel- 

 shaped roll of leaves which compose the lining of the cell, and 

 endeavours to close it completely. But this intelligent little 

 worker is not satisfied, for it would appear to be aware that 

 the honey which she has laid up with the egg might flow out 



