NOTES BY THE WAY. 143 



aver another. When the cell is completed it is filled 

 about two thirds full of bee-bread the color of that 

 in the comb in the hive, but not so dry, and having a 

 sourish smell. Upon this the egg is laid, and upon 

 this the young feed when hatched. Is the paper bag 

 now tied up ? No, it is headed up ; circular bits of 

 leaves are nicely fitted into it to the number of six or 

 seven. They are cut without pattern or compass, 

 and yet they are all alike, and all exactly fit. In- 

 deed, the construction of this cell or receptacle shows 

 great ingenuity and skill. The bee was, of course, 

 unable to manage a single section of a leaf large 

 enough, when rolled up to form it, and so was obliged 

 to construct it of smaller pieces, such as she could 

 carry, lapping them one over another. 



A few days later I saw a smaller species carrying 

 fragments of a yellow autumn leaf under a stone 

 in a corn-field. On examining the place about sun- 

 down to see if the bee lodged there, I found her 

 snugly ensconced in a little rude cell that adhered to 

 the under side of the stone. There was no pollen in 

 it, and I half suspected it was merely a berth in which 

 to pass the night. 



These bees do not live even in pairs, but absolutely 

 alone. They have large baskets on their legs in which 

 to carry pollen, an article they are very industrious 

 11 collecting. 



Why the larger species above described should 

 bave waited till October to build its nest is a mystery 

 o me. Perhaps this was the second brood of th 



