INSECT COURTSHIP. 515 



again by many of the clay-cell-builders. The cells are built 

 side by side with very little cohesion, and are stocked with bee- 

 bread and closed by three or four pellets of mud, united in such 

 a manner as to leave thin edges next to the lips or upper edges, 

 and thus enable the insect easily to escape. The outside is in 

 general rough, and adapted to the situation in which it is built. 

 It is scarcely ever truly circular on the outside, even if built free 

 from obstruction. 



" Amongst the figures will be observed a solitary cell built in a 

 signet-ring. The power of instinct shown here is very great ; 

 for to keep the cell secure the clay has been made larger at the 

 base, where it projects interiorly in the ring. 



" This insect- is very annoying from the manner it chokes up 

 small openings, such as barrels of fire-arms and locks of drawers, 

 in the latter case entering by the key-hole. 



" I watched the construction of four cells in June 1863 ; and 

 the perfect insects were matured August 12, 14, 15, and 16 

 respectively. This would show, what is really the case, that the 

 cells take about a day each to construct. In fact, in one case 

 noted by me, a cell was commenced, finished, stored with food, 

 and closed, certainly within ten hours, which is quite possible if 

 both sexes work, as I believe to be the case. 



" Sometimes, however, a hollow bamboo is the situation 

 selected by this insect. If it be tolerably thick there is room 

 for several cells ; and they are built from the bottom of the 

 hollow upwards, either in a straight line or spirally. In either 

 case I believe the single series to be constructed, and the second 

 series commenced from the very bottom on the completion of 

 the first. In some cases there are as many as eight or ten cells 

 in each hive ; and probably more than one pair of insects are 

 concerned in this double series." 



The bees belonging to the genus Anthidium are remarkable 

 for two peculiarities. In the first place, they exactly reverse the 

 usual structure of bees, the male being very much larger and 

 stronger than the female. 



Their matrimonial customs are very curious, and quite unlike 

 those of insects in general. Both sexes are fond of hovering 

 over flowers, a habit which has earned for them the generic 

 name of Anthidium, i.e. " a creature that frequents flowers." 



LI 2 



