178 Insect Architecture. 



and making the footstalk of the future nest. One end of this 

 footstalk is attached very strongly to the branch, and to the 

 other end is fastened the first cell. As soon as the Icaria 

 has made the first beginning of the cell, and raised or rather 

 lowered the walls to a fourth or so of their complete dimen- 

 sions, she inserts an egg into the yet imperfect cell, and adds 

 to the walls while the egg is being hatched. Her next 

 duty is, to add a second cell, and this is quickly followed by 

 a third, all these cells being fastened to each other on three 

 or four of their sides, leaving the others free and unattached. 

 It is evident that by this mode of construction the cells 

 nearest the branch must be the longest, because they are 

 begun the soonest, and this will always be found to be the 

 case. 



[Now, there is a point respecting which the attention of 

 the reader must be specially solicited. On looking at the 

 cells, he will see that they are partly cylindrical and partly 

 angular, and may perhaps think that this fact goes towards 

 proving that the hexagonal shape of bee cells is owing to 

 mutual pressure, the outer sides of the cells being rounded, 

 while the inner are angular. But, there are other cells in 

 existence, built by allied insects, and formed in an analogous 

 manner, and which are either angular or cylindrical, exactly 

 according to the instinctive powers of the insect which 

 built them. 



[On the right hand of the Icarian nest may be seen a 

 singular-looking structure pendent at the end of a long foot- 

 stalk, This is the nest of an insect called Mischocyttarus 

 labiatus, one of the Polistidse. In this case, the cells are 

 built so as to be defended from the rain by a sort of pent- 

 house, over which all the raindrops would run, and so fall 

 harmless to the ground. The cells of this insect are soft 

 in texture, and are more cylindrical than angular, the angles 

 being but very slightly marked. 



[Here, however, is the nest of an insect called Raphigaster 

 Guiniensis, which is built in a manner similar to that of the 

 Icaria, the cells being closely in contact with each other. 

 The material of which they are made is peculiarly soft, 



