The Mason-bees 



as a screen. All told, the great majority take 

 the left, that Is to say, the direction of the 

 nest. The last is released at twenty minutes 

 to ten. One of the fifty travellers has lost 

 her mark in the paper bag. I deduct her from 

 the total, leaving forty-nine. 



According to Antonia, who watches the 

 home-coming, the earliest arrivals appeared 

 at twenty-five minutes to ten, say fifteen min- 

 utes after the first was set free. By twelve 

 o'clock mid-day, there are eleven back; and, 

 by four o'clock In the evening, seventeen. 

 That ends the census. Total: seventeen, out 

 of forty-nine. 



I resolved upon a fourth experiment, on 

 the 14th of May. The weather Is glorious, 

 with a light northerly breeze. I take twenty 

 Mason-bees marked in pink, at eight o'clock 

 In the morning. Rotations at the start, after 

 a preliminary backing In a direction opposite 

 to that which I intend to take; two rotations 

 on the road; a fourth on arriving. All those 

 whose flight I am able to follow with my eyes 

 turn to my left, that is to say, towards 

 Serlgnan. Yet I had taken care to leave the 

 choice free between the two opposite direc- 

 tions : In particular, I had sent away my Dog, 

 94 



