108 Psyche [June 



the mouth, loosened by the mandibles, and ejected sidewise by the 

 first and second pairs of legs. As the depression increases in depth, 

 it is surrounded by a wall of the moistened earth, reaching a height 

 of about one centimetre, the posterior end of the abdomen being 

 used as a trowel in its construction. 



At frequent intervals the bee stops work, and after an absence 

 of thirty seconds or so, returns. Our curiosity aroused as to the 

 reason for these frequent excursions, we followed one individual 

 in her flight and were led to a small pond about seventy -five yards 

 away. Here numerous bees were discovered floating on the sur- 

 face with legs outstretched, presumably sucking up into their 

 crops a supply of water for use in making the nest. By its aid the 

 clayey soil is formed into pellets, passed under the body probably 

 by means of the tibial spines and kicked out at the entrance by a 

 sudden jerk of the last pair of legs, most comical in the impression 

 it produces of business like intention. The force of the jerk is often 

 considerable, as the pellets are thrown several inches from the 

 mouth of the nest. 



Less than twenty-four hours is occupied in the construction of 

 the nest. One begun at twelve thirty p. m. was three inches deep 

 at four, the same day. The following morning, between six- 

 thirty and seven, the bee was observed entering, her hind legs and 

 body heavily laden with fiocculent masses of pollen. She remained 

 within for one minute, presumably packing the pollen, came out 

 and was gone for five to six minutes, returning again laden with 

 pollen. Sometimes the load is so superabundant that fragments 

 of it will be dropped on the ground near the entrance. If the 

 weather were cloudy, the time was lengthened, more than ten 

 minutes being required for collection of the pollen. After a final 

 trip she remained within for a longer time, i. e., twenty minutes, 

 possibly occupied in laying an egg. The nest is completed by gnaw- 

 ing away the raised rim of earth.about the opening. Usually the 

 surrounding pellets are also drawn in by the first pair of legs, the 

 earth thus filling and closing the entrance. A nearly circular 

 depression, however, marks the site, for the earth is not filled in 

 level with the soil surface. 



On digging the earth away from the nest cavity, a considerable 

 mass of fermenting pollen of sour smell was found and on it a single, 

 slightly curved egg, six mm. in length. The pollen is collected, 



