Mason-Sees. 43 



The distance to which they carried the clay was probably 

 considerable, as there was no wall near, in the direction they 

 all flew towards, upon which they could build ; and in the 

 same direction also, it is worthy of remark, they could have 

 procured much nearer the very same sort of clay. Whatever 

 might be the cause of their preference, we could not but 

 admire their extraordinary industry. It did not require more 

 than half a minute to knead one of the pellets of clay ; and, from 

 their frequent returns, probably not more than five minutes 

 to carry it to the nest, and apply it where wanted. From 

 the dryness of the weather, indeed, it was indispensable for 

 them to work rapidly, otherwise the clay could not have been 

 made to hold together. The extent of the whole labour of 

 forming a single nest may be imagined, if we estimate that it 

 must take several hundred pellets of clay for its completion. 

 If a bee work fourteen or fifteen hours a-day, therefore, 

 carrying ten or twelve pellets to its nest every hour, it will 

 be able to finish the structure in about two or three days ; 

 allowing some hours of extra time for the more nice workman- 

 ship of the cells in which the eggs are to be deposited, and 

 the young grubs reared. 



That the construction of such a nest is not a merely 

 agreeable exercise to the mason-bee has been sufficiently 

 proved by M. Du Hamel. He has observed a bee (Megachile 

 muraria) less careful to perform the necessary labour for the 

 protection of her offspring than those we have described, 

 but not less desirous of obtaining this protection, attempt 

 to usurp the nest which another had formed. A fierce 

 battle was invariably the consequence of this attempt ; for 

 the true mistress would never give place to the intruder. 

 The motive for the injustice and the resistance was an in- 

 disposition to further labour. The trial of strength was 

 probably, sometimes, of as little use in establishing the 

 right as it is amongst mankind ; and the proper owner, 

 exhausted by her efforts, had doubtless often to surrender to 

 the dishonest usurper. 



The account which Reaumur has given of the operations 

 of this class of bees differs considerably from that which 



