in HERMIT HOMES 83 



latter, starting at the bottom and progressing up- 

 wards, eight to ten cells are constructed, composed 

 entirely of portions of leaf, like a file of thimbles, the 

 small and convex end of each fitting well into the 

 large and open mouth of the cell previous. Ten or 

 twelve pieces of leaf of different shapes are cut and 

 carried to the bottom of the gallery, and there twisted 

 and folded one within the other, so as to form a pretty 

 funnel-shaped cone from a quarter to a third of an 

 inch long, narrower at the closed extremity than at 

 the orifice. The pieces are always placed so that no 

 two joinings come together, the middle of one scrap 

 lies over the margins of two bits immediately below, 

 strengthening the whole fabric. Making up a ball of 

 pollen and honey the bee places it inside, and 

 with it an egg. Once more recourse is had to the 

 rose, and a fragment of leaf is taken off so exactly 

 circular that a pair of compasses would not do it 

 more nicely, and of a diameter fitting precisely the 

 cell's mouth. Into this the morsel, is thrust with its 

 convexity turned downwards ; a second piece, a 

 third, sometimes a fourth, are added, to obviate the 

 faintest possibility of oozing of the honey. The slightly 

 concave surface of this lid receives the follow- 

 ing cell which is completed in like manner, and 

 gradually the series is built up. All being finished, 

 endeavour is made to hide the entrance to the shaft 

 with the earth expelled to form it, and to such 

 good purpose that no trace is left of this marvellous 

 work. 



The bee, to obtain her building material, rests firmly 

 on the edge of a leaf, usually so that it passes between 



