THE VIOLET CARPENTER-BEE. 



19 



Carptnter-Bee. 



being settled to her mind, she next sets about the 

 work. Well may Reaumur exclaim, " Truly the 

 labour she has undertaken demands strength, 

 courage, and patience ! " 



The violet carpenter-bee is, 

 perhaps, the most interesting 

 example we can select. She be- 

 gins by cutting out with her 

 strong jaws small portions of the 

 timber, and soon forms a little 

 hole, which looks downwards and 

 inwards into the wood. She then 

 alters the direction of her drilling, 

 and now perforates the timber Mandibles of the Carpenter , 

 perpendicularly downwards, and 

 in a parallel direction to the 

 wood. Long and hard does she thus labour, 

 until she has actually scooped out a tunnel in 

 the timber a foot or so in length, and half 

 an inch in diameter. Sometimes she will drill 

 several of these beautiful galleries in the wood. 

 The task, however arduous, never seems to 

 weary her; impelled by a heaven-bestowed in 

 fluence, she works strenuously and cheerfully for 

 weeks, or even sometimes for months. Our 



sides of the 



