VII 



ATTRACTING QUEENS 



1 1 



having been previously lifted off, so that any loose 

 earth that might drop into the tunnel could be seen 

 and removed. Finally the nest was placed inside 

 the tin, the tin closed, and a board placed on the 

 surface of the ground over the spot. 



Rust soon caused the lids to stick to the cylinders, 

 so I had to substitute lids of a larger size. To pre- 

 vent ants and other vermin from getting into the 

 nest-cavity through the joint round the lid, I placed 

 a sheet of felt between the lid and the cylinder. 



Fig. 24. Vertical Section of Slnden's Tin Domicile. 

 c, Tin cylinder ; /, tin lid ; f, felt. 



The first eight tin domiciles were put down on 

 May 23. Unfortunately these were provided with 

 small flat holes, in. by 1^ in., some of which must 

 have got choked very soon, probably by worms 

 travelling across them ; nevertheless, two of them 

 were occupied by queens, both being lapidarius. 



Seven more tin domiciles were put down on 

 May 27 with round holes \\ in. wide. Every one 

 of these became tenanted, six by lapidarius queens 

 and one by a latreillellns queen. 



Finally, four more were put down on May 30 

 with \\ in. holes. Two of these became wet after 



