More Enquiries into Mason-bees 



to move the whole of that nest from the banks 

 of the Aygues. 



The next thing is to place my tiles. I want 

 to have them under my eyes, in a position 

 where I can watch them easily and save my- 

 self the worries of earlier days: going up and 

 down ladders, standing for hours at a stretch 

 on a narrow rung that hurt the soles of my 

 feet and risking sunstroke up against a scorch- 

 ing wall. Moreover, it is necessary that my 

 guests should feel almost as much at home 

 with me as where they come from. I must 

 make life pleasant for them, if I would have 

 them grow attached to the new- dwelling. 



Under the leads of my house is a wide 

 arch, the sides of which get the sun, while 

 the back remains in the shade. There is some- 

 thing for everybody: the shade for me, the 

 sunlight for my boarders. We fasten a stout 

 hook to each tile and hang it on the wall, on 

 a level with our eyes. Half my nests are on 

 the right, half on the left. The general effect 

 is rather original. Any one walking in and 

 seeing my show for the first time begins by 

 taking it for a display of smoked provisions, 

 gammons of some outlandish bacon curing in 

 the sun. On perceiving his mistake, he falls 

 8i 



