The Mason-bees 



ing farther and farther from it, still carrying 

 the nymph in their teeth. What became of 

 them? What did they do with their spoil? 

 I had not the patience to follow those dull- 

 witted marauders to the end. 



Let us repeat the experiment, but place 

 the Amazon to the north. After more or less 

 prolonged hesitations, after a search now 

 in this direction, now in that, the Ant suc- 

 ceeds in finding her column. She knows the 

 locality. 



Here, of a surety, is a Hymenopteron de- 

 prived of that sense of direction which other 

 Hymenoptera enjoy. She has in her favour 

 a memory for places and nothing more. A 

 deviation amounting to two or three of our 

 strides is enough to make her lose her way 

 and to keep her from returning to her people, 

 whereas miles across unknown country will 

 not foil the Mason-bee. I expressed my sur- 

 prise, just now, that man was deprived of 3 

 wonderful sense wherewith certain animals are 

 endowed. The enormous distance between 

 the two things compared might furnish mat- 

 ter for discussion. In the present case, the 

 distance no longer exists : we have to do with 

 two insects very near akin, two Hymenoptera. 

 150 



