LEAF-CUTTER'S NEST. 301 



deep,) she proceeds to construct within it, of the pieces of leaf 

 she cuts off, several cells, of the shape and about the size of a 

 thimble, which she inserts, successively, the bottom of one into 

 the mouth of that below it. It takes from nine to twelve pieces 

 of leaf to complete each single cell, and as each is finished, she 

 stores it with a rose-coloured conserve made chiefly of pollen, 

 and honey collected from flowers of the thistle. When to this 

 magazine of sweets is superadded the egg from whence its 

 future consumer is to spring, the provident provider of the 

 store covers in the whole with three more pieces of leaf cut in 

 a circle as truly accurate as compasses could describe; room 

 being left above this cover for insertion of a succeeding cell, 

 our " upholsterer " thus proceeds till her nursery tunnel is 

 completely fitted up. 



Well might the gardener of Reaumur, on accidentally un- 

 earthing such a work of wonder as this nest of the leaf-cutter 

 bee, suppose it, in his ignorance, the work of some magician ! 



The wool or down of pubescent plants, such as rose campion 

 and cat's-ear, shaven off and " rolled up like a ribbon " for 

 convenient transport, is used by another rather common species 

 of solitary bee, 1 to compose, not the lining or compartments, 

 but the exterior covering of her nest, which is plastered within, 

 and provided, like those before mentioned, with a store of 

 suitable provision. 



Bee "carpenters" and bee "masons" all working with 

 maternal views, and named, like the " upholsterers," from the 

 character of their labours show no less ingenuity and perse- 

 verance in the employment of their more solid materials. The 

 masons construct their nests, some with sand, some with earth 

 and mingled chalk, some with earth and wood, uniting by 

 gluten their grains or fragments. 



The carpenters chisel their cells out of posts and palings a 

 little softened by decay ; and a nest of this description has 

 been found, when cut open by a curious observer, 2 to consist of 



1 Anthidium manicatum. 3 Rennie, " Insect Architecture." 



