300 LEAF-CUTTER BEE. 



Another industrious member of the " upholsterer" craft, 

 and one which, as a common native of England, may be more 

 easily observed in carrying on her business, is another little bee 

 called the Rose Leaf-cutter. 



From June to August there are often to be found on rose- 

 trees certain leaves out of which have been cut one or more 

 pieces of circular or oval form, and that with as much smooth- 

 ness and regularity as if with a pair of scissors. 1 These exci- 

 sions are, in fact, evidences indubitable that the scissor-like 

 jaws of the bee sempstress have been busily at work, and, by 

 watching quietly at hand, it is not unlikely that we may see the 

 industrious little body busy at her cutting out. To follow her 

 as she carries her work home may be more difficult, at least 

 on some occasions, but not on all, as her chamber and de- 

 signed nursery may happen to be in a gravel-walk, an old 

 wall, or an old post, as likely to be close by as far off. Be it 

 where it may, it consists generally of a cylindrical excavated 

 hole, of which the site once discovered, the interior art and 

 mystery may easily be brought to light by help of a spade 

 or other adapted instrument. In truth, though, to disturb thus 

 the labour of love exercised by this little artisan would give us 

 pain hardly to be balanced by gratified wonder at the skill and 

 neatness wherewith she has fitted up her leaf-lined nest. 



We mean not to say, indeed, (and what lover of entomology 

 would be credited if he did?) that tenderness would be certain, 

 in our own case, to master curiosity on discovery, for the first 

 time, of a leaf-cutter's abode, or on other the like occasion ; 

 but those from whom the maternal upholsterer is likely to meet 

 with more consideration may obtain, without invading her 

 nursery, a very excellent notion of the style of its fitting up. 

 This they may acquire from pages much more accurately 

 descriptive than ours; 2 but in the meantime we may briefly 

 tell them how that, having excavated or found her hole, (a 

 cavity in ground, or wood, or wall, of from six to ten inches 

 1 See Vignette. ' Reaumur; also " Insect Architecture." 



