CH. V.] THE MASON-BEE. 93 



sesses some sense which enables it to discover ad- 

 vantageous peculiarities of form which escape 

 human observation." It felt each grain with its 

 strong teeth : it did not, however, carry them off 

 one by one ; this would have occasioned a waste of 

 time inconsistent with its usual habits of economy: 

 it contrived to collect together a sufficient number 

 of grains to form a heap of the size of a small shot, 

 and cemented the mass together with a viscid 

 liquor ejected upon it from the mouth. With the 

 gravel and cement it mixed a little earth, which 

 rendered the whole firmer and more tenacious. The 

 little pellet of well-tempered mortar thus formed 

 was instantly conveyed by the bee to the spot se- 

 lected for the nest, where the foundation was formed 

 by a circle of these little balls deposited in regular 

 succession. On this circular foundation it pro- 

 ceeded to raise a rouud tower of very small dimen- 

 sions. Every time that a fresh supply of mortar 

 had been brought to the spot, the insect was seen to 

 twist and twirl it about between its teeth and first 

 pair of legs ; it was then laid in the place destined 

 to receive it, and moulded into the proper shape. 

 As the tower or circular hollow- increases in height, 

 the insect is seen thrusting its head into the interior 

 of the cell, for the purpose, no doubt, of ascertain- 

 ing whether the material has been properly applied ; 

 as the inside comes in contact with the tender and 

 unprotected skin of the cherished offspring, it is 

 indispensable that it should be rendered perfectly 

 even ; and on this account it is smoothed with all 

 the assiduity and skill of the provident and tender 

 parent. The outside, being destined for no such 

 purpose, is left in a rough state. Each cell is sepa- 

 rately formed, and the whole, when completed, is 

 enveloped in a common covering made of sand. 



After a cell has reached a certain height, and be- 

 fore it has been quite finished, the mason-bee, like 

 the carpenter-bee, goes in quest of honey and pollen, 



