Carpenter -Sees. 



57 



deep in posts and garden-seats ; and they are inferior in 

 ingenuity to the carpentry of a bee described by Reaumur 

 (Xylocopa violacea), which has not been ascertained to be a 

 native of Britain, though a single indigenous species of the 



/ 



A - B 



Cells of Carpenter- Bees, excavated in an old post. 



In fig. A the cells contain the young grubs ; in fig. B the cells are empty. Both figures 

 are shown in section, and about half their natural size. 



genus has been doubtingly mentioned, and is figured' by 

 Kirby and Spence, in their valuable * Monographia.' If it 

 ever be found here, its large size and beautiful violet-coloured 

 wings will render mistakes impossible. 



The violet carpenter-bee usually selects an upright piece 

 of wood, into which she bores obliquely for about an inch ; 

 and then, changing the direction, works perpendicularly, and 

 parallel to the sides of the wood, from twelve or fifteen 

 inches, and half an inch in breadth. Sometimes the bee is 

 contented with one or two of these excavations ; at other 

 times, when the wood is adapted to it, she scoops out three 

 or four a task which sometimes requires several weeks of 

 incessant labour. 



The tunnel in the wood, however, is only one part of the 

 work ; for the little architect has afterwards to divide the 

 whole into cells, somewhat less than an inch in depth. It is 

 necessary, for the proper growth of her progeny, that each 

 should be separated from the other, and be provided with 

 adequate food. She knows, most exactly, the quantity of 

 food which each grub will require during its growth ; and 



