OBSERVATIONS ON PSITHYRUS 259 



or at least an hour, which was as long as I watched 

 ler. No workers assaulted the cell, but the queen 

 vas so busy at it, walking round and round it as 

 he rapidly polished it, that they could not have 

 ucceeded had they tried. 



This cell was standing next morning. 



As time went on more eggs were laid, and a large 

 lumber of vestalis males and females developed ; 

 ut although the nest contained many fertile workers, 

 Lot one terrestris male was produced. 



A CRIPPLED TERRESTRIS QUEEN. 



On May 4, 191 1, I caught two terrestris* queens, 

 4 and B, and kept them together in darkness, 

 rheir quarters, like those of all my other captive 

 [ueens, consisted of a nest starting-box communicat- 

 ag by means of a small hole with a vestibule or outer 

 >ox. On the floor of the nest-box I placed a disc of 

 acking, to which were firmly fastened by melted 

 >ees-wax two deep cells of bees-wax, which I filled 

 wice a-day with a mixture of honey and water ; I 

 ilso fastened to the sacking a shallow cup made of 

 )ld lapidarius wax containing a lump of pollen. 

 4 had her left .hind tibia slightly paralysed, the 

 esult of an injury sustained before she was caught. 



May 8, 9.0 p.m. A formed a cell in the place 

 :hat the pollen lump, which was now consumed, 

 lad occupied, and she laid an egg in it. B's 

 ;ongue was seen to be injured, she could not fold it 

 jp properly. 



