The Mason-bees 



the average, that the honey reaches a depth 

 of ten millimetres/ The Bee has not this re- 

 source; she has sight, which may enable her to 

 estimate the full section from the empty sec- 

 tion. This presupposes the possession of a 

 somewhat geometric eye, capable of measur- 

 ing the third of a distance. If the insect did 

 it by Euclid, that would be very brilliant of it. 

 What a magnificent proof in favour of its lit- 

 tle intellect: a Chalicodoma with a geometri- 

 cian's eye, able to divide a straight line into 

 three equal parts I This is worth looking into 

 seriously. 



I take five cells, which are only partly pro- 

 visioned, and empty them of their honey with 

 a wad of cotton held in my forceps. From 

 time to time, as the Bee brings new provisions, 

 I repeat the cleansing-process, sometimes 

 clearing out the cell entirely, sometimes leav- 

 ing a thin layer at the bottom. I do not ob- 

 serve any pronounced hesitation on the part of 

 my plundered victims, even though they sur- 

 prise me at the moment when I am draining 

 the jar; they continue their work with quiet in- 

 dustry. Sometimes, two or three threads of 



1.39 inch. — Translator's Note. 

 186 



