Experiments 



aware, for the second time, that, when the 

 Mason-bee is stopped by a paper barrier, the 

 reason is not her incapacity to overcome the 

 obstacle. On the other hand, the occupants 

 of the nest covered with the cone, after mak- 

 ing their way through the earthen dome, find- 

 ing the sheet of paper at some distance, do 

 not even try to perforate this obstacle, which 

 they would have conquered so easily had it 

 been fastened to the nest. They die under the 

 cover without making any attempt to escape. 

 Even so did Reaumur's Bees perish In the 

 glass funnel, where their liberty depended 

 only upon their cutting through a bit of gauze. 

 This fact strikes me as rich In inferences. 

 What? Here are sturdy insects, to whom 

 boring through granite Is mere play, to whom 

 a stopper of soft wood and a paper partition 

 are walls quite easy to perforate despite the 

 novelty of the material; and yet these vigor- 

 our housebreakers allow themselves to perish 

 stupidly in the prison of a paper bag, which 

 they could have torn open with one stroke of 

 their mandibles ? They are capable of tearing 

 It, but they do not dream of doing so ! There 

 can be only one explanation of this suicidal 

 inaction. The Insect Is well-endowtd with 

 37 



