Rationing According to Sex 



I obtain Anthrax sinuata ^ from various 

 bees' nests. When she issues from the co- 

 coons of the Three-horned Osmia, especially 

 the female cocoons, she attains the greatest 

 development that I know of. When she is- 

 sues from the cocoons of the Blue Osmia 

 (O. cyanea, KIRB.), she Is sometimes 

 hardly one-third the length which the other 

 Osmia gives her. And we still have the two 

 sexes — that goes without saying — and 

 still identically the same species. 



Two Anthldia, working in resin, A. sep- 

 temdentatum, LATR., and A. bellicosum, 

 LEP.,2 establish their domicile In old Snail-' 

 shells. The second harbours the Burnt 

 Zonitis (Z. prceusta).^ Amply nourished 

 this Meloe then acquires her normal size, the 

 size in which she usually figures in the col- 

 lections. A like prosperity awaits her when 

 she usurps the provisions of Megachile seri- 

 cans^ But the imprudent creature some- 

 times allows itself to be carried away to the 

 meagre table of the smallest of our Anthldia 



1 The Mason-bees: chaps, viii., x. and xi. — Translator's 

 Note. 



" For these Resin-bees, cf. Bramble-bees and Others: 

 chap. X. — Translator's Note. 



* Cf. The Gloiv-ivorm and Other Beetles: chap. vi. — 

 Translator's Note. 



* For this Bee, the Silky Leaf-cutter, cf. Bramble-bees 

 end Others: chap. viii. — Translator's Note. 



239 



