J 74 FAMILI/E. {Apis. **. c. 2. /3.) 



the key did not turn round easily, and upon look- 

 ing into the key hole I saw something white. I 

 had the lock taken off, and it was completely full 

 of a downy substance, containing the pupa of some 

 bee, I conclude. Upon examining the downy sub- 

 stance, I am certain it is the fine pappus, or down, 

 from the u4nemone sijlvestris, of which I had two 

 plants in my garden. I have preserved the whole 

 as I found it, but the bee has not yet made its 

 appearance in its perfect state. I shall watch their 

 progress, and send them to you, or to Mr. Kirby.'* 

 This letter is dated October JO, 1800. Sir Thomas 

 has since had the goodness to send me the nidus, 

 the pupae are still quiescent, (April 2, 1801) and 

 JDrobably will not be disclosed till after midsummer. 

 Upon comparing it with the anecdote, which I 

 have just related of A. manicata, I cannot help' 

 being of opinion that it is the nidus of that Apis. 

 It is with some hesitation that I venture to differ 

 from so accurate an observer as Sir Thomas Cul- 

 lum, but it appears evident to me that the wool 

 ' which envelopes the nest and the cells, is scraped 

 from the leaves of one of the plants mentioned 

 above. I gathered some leaves of Agrbstemma 

 coronariay and with my pen-knife shaved off some 

 of its down, and upon comparing it with that used 

 in the nest under a magnifier, I found that they 

 were exactly the same. This, in conjunction 

 with Mr. Trimmer's account, persuades me that 

 the material employed in this instance is not the 



pappua 



