The Mason-bees 



the Bee from whom I took It was completing 

 the provision of honey. To touch It up, es- 

 pecially to add to It is useless and, what is 

 more, absurd. No matter: the Bee who was 

 masoning will mason. On the aperture of the 

 honey-store she lays a first course of mortar, 

 followed by another and yet another, until at 

 last the cell is a third taller than the regulation 

 height. The masonry-task Is now done, not 

 as perfectly, it is true, as if the Bee had gone 

 on with the cell whose foundations she was 

 laying at the moment when I exchanged the 

 nests, but still to an extent which Is more 

 than enough to prove the irresistible Impulse 

 which the builder obeys. Next comes the 

 victualling, which is also cut short, lest the 

 honey-store swelled by the joint contributions 

 of the two Bees should overflow. Thus the 

 Mason-bee who Is beginning to build and to 

 whom we give a complete cell, a cell filled 

 with honey, makes no change in the order of 

 her work : she, builds first and then victuals. 

 Only she shortens her work, her Instinct warn- 

 ing her that the height of the cell and the 

 quantity of honey are beginning to assume 

 extravagant proportions. 



The converse Is equally conclusive. To a 

 66 



