The Primary Larva of the Sitares 



ruins; but none of them seems inclined to 

 swoop down upon the author of the damage. 

 At most, a few, more irritated than the rest, 

 come at intervals and hover before my face, 

 confronting me at a distance of a couple of 

 inches, and then fly away, after a few mo- 

 ments of this curious inspection. 



Despite the selection of a common site for 

 their nests, which might suggest an attempt 

 at communistic interests among the Antho- 

 phorae, these Bees, therefore, obey the ego- 

 tistical law of each one for himself and do 

 not know how to band themselves together 

 to repel an enemy who threatens one and all. 

 Taken singly, the Anthophora does not even 

 know how to dash at the enemy who is 

 ravaging her cells and drive him away with 

 her stinffs; the pacific creature hastily leaves 

 its dwelling when disturbed by undermining 

 and escapes in a crippled state, sometimes 

 even mortally wounded, without thinking of 

 making use of its venomous sting, except 

 when it is seized and handled. Many other 

 Hymenoptera, honey-gatherers or hunters, 

 are quite as spiritless; and I can assert to-day, 

 after a long experience, that only the Social 

 Hymenoptera, the Hive-bees, the Common 

 Wasps and the Bumble-bees, know how to 

 devise a common defence; and only they dare 

 71 



