Reflections upon Insect Psychology 



by and by. What does appear to be an urgent 

 necessity is the closing of the cell, immediately 

 after the egg has been religiously deposited 

 therein, so that there may be no danger from 

 evilly-disposed visitors during the mother's 

 absence. 



The Bee must have serious reasons for 

 thus hurrying on the closing of the cell. 

 What would happen if, after laying her egg, 

 she left the house open and went to the 

 cement-pit to fetch the wherewithal to block 

 the door? Some thief might drop in and sub- 

 stitute her own egg for the Mason-bee's. We 

 shall see that our suspicions are not uncalled- 

 for. One thing is certain, that the Mason 

 never lays without having in her mandibles 

 the pellet of mortar required for the imme- 

 diate construction of the lid of the nest. The 

 precious egg must not for a single instant re- 

 main exposed to the cupidity of marauders. 



To these particulars I will add a few ge- 

 neral observations which will make what fol- 

 lows easier to understand. So long as its cir- 

 cumstances are normal, the insect's actions are 

 calculated most rationally in view of the ob- 

 ject to be attained. What could be more logi- 

 cal, for instance, than the devices employed by 

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