THE HUMBLE BEE. 19 



or in the last year's nest, and selects a nesting place, gener- 

 ally in an abandoned nest of a field-mouse, or beneath a stump 

 or sod, and " immediately," according to Mr. F. W. Putnam,* 

 "collects a small amount of pollen mixed with honey, and in 

 this deposits from seven to fourteen eggs, gradually adding to 

 the pollen mass until the first brood is hatched. She does not 

 wait, however, for one brood to be hatched before laying the 

 eggs of another, but, as soon as food enough has been collected, 

 she lays the eggs for a second. The eggs are laid, in contact 

 with, each other, in one cavity 

 of the mass of pollen, with a 

 part of which they are slightly 

 covered. They are very soon 

 developed ; in fact, the lines are 

 nowhere distinctly drawn be- 

 tween the egg and the larva, 

 the larva and pupa, and again 



between the latter and the ima- 15. Cell and Eggs of Bombus. 

 go; a perfect series, showing this gradual transformation of 

 the young to the imago can be found in almost every nest. 



"As soon as the larvae are capable of motion and commence 

 feeding, they eat the pollen by which they are surrounded, and, 

 gradually separating, push their way in various directions. 

 Eating as they move, and increasing in size quite rapidly, they 

 soon make large cavities in the pollen mass. When they have 

 attained their full size, they spin a silken wall about them, which 

 is strengthened by the old bees covering it with a thin layer of 

 wax, which soon becomes hard and tough, thus forming a cell 

 (Fig. 15, 1, cell containing a larva, on top of which (2) is a pol- 

 len mass containing three eggs). The larvae now gradually at- 



* Notes on the Habits of the Humble Bee (Proceedings of the Essex Insti- 

 tute, vol. iv, 1864, p. 101). 



Mr. Angus also writes us as follows concerning the habits of the Wan- 

 dering Humble bee (Bombus vagans): "I have found the males plentiful 

 near our garden fence, within a hole such as would be made by a mouse. 

 They seem to be quite numerous. I was attracted to it by the noise they 

 were making in fanning at the opening. I counted at one time as many 

 as seven thus employed, and the sound could be heard several yards off. 

 Several males were at rest, but mostly on the wing, when they would make 

 a dash among the fanners, and all would scatter and play about. The 

 workers seem to be of a uniform size, and full as large as the males. I 

 think the object of the fanning was to introduce air into the nest, as is done 

 by the Honey bees." 



