Upholsterer-Bees. 69 



easily reconcilable with this supposition, unless they are 

 considered as the excrement of the larva."* 



Whether or not this second explanation is the true 

 one, we have not the means of ascertaining ; but we are 

 almost certain the first is incorrect, as it is contrary to the 

 regular procedure of insects to begin with the interior part 

 of any structure, and work outwards. We should imagine, 

 then, that the down is first spread out into the form required, 

 and afterwards plastered on the inside to keep it in form, 

 when probably the grub spins the vermicular cells previous 

 to its metamorphosis. 



It might prove interesting to investigate this more 

 minutely ; and as the bee is by no means scarce in the 

 neighbourhood of London, it might not be difficult for a 

 careful observer to witness all the details of this singular 

 architecture. Yet we have repeatedly endeavoured, but 

 without success, to watch the bees, when loaded with down, 

 to their nests. The bee may be readily known from its 

 congeners, by its being about the size of the hive-bee, but 

 more broad and flattened, blackish-brown above, with a row 

 of six yellow or white spots along each side of the rings, 

 very like the rose-leaf cutter, and having the belly covered 

 with yellowish-brown hair, and the legs fringed with long 

 hairs of a rather lighter colour. 



[This bee does not bore a tunnel for herself, but occupies 

 that of some other insect. The nests of this insect are 

 generally to be obtained from old willows, because these 

 trees are so largely bored by the goat-moth caterpillar, and 

 afford ample space for the larva. The woolly substance 

 obtained from the plant is pressed against the sides of the 

 burrow, so as to form a lining. She then makes a series of 

 cells of a similar material, and the young larva, when it is 

 about to change into the pupa state, envelops itself in a 

 silken covering of a brown colour. 



It is a curious fact, that the male of this insect is consi- 



* Introduction to Entomology, vol. i. p. 435, 5th edit. 



