The Pelopaeus 



with equal vigour on the buildings destroyed 

 the day before. 



I sympathized with her sorrows, while 

 greatly regretting that I could not myself 

 take charge of the place. How gladly I 

 would have left the Pelopaei undisturbed, 

 though they covered every scrap of up- 

 holstery with mud; how willingly I would 

 have let them have their way, so that I 

 might learn what prospects there are for a 

 nest if perched on the shifting support of a 

 coat or a curtain! The Mason-bee of the 

 Shrubs,^ heedless of the storm, builds on a 

 twig; but her edifice, constructed of hard 

 mortar, envelops the support, surrounds it 

 on every side and becomes firmly fixed to 

 it. The nest of the Pelopaeus is a mere 

 blob of mud, fastened to its support without 

 any special adhesive preparation. It has 

 no hydraulic cement which sets as soon as 

 used, no foundations welded to the support- 

 ing base. How can such a method give 

 proper stability? The nests which I find on 

 the coarse canvas of corn-bags come off at 

 the least shake, though the rough mesh of 

 the stuff makes it easier for them to stick 

 on : what will happen when the nests are 

 placed on a piece of fine calico hanging 



1 Cf. The Mason-bees: chap. x. — Translator's Note. 

 75 



