IN THE GARDEN. 



verandahs are, many of them, the leaf- 

 cutters searching for a suitable site for 

 house building. Having determined on 

 a site, the bee now sets to work on its 

 leaf-cutting operations. The hole or 

 tunnel selected has to be thoroughly lined 

 with leaf sections and these are cut circu- 

 lar, elongate, or semi-circular, according 

 as to whether they are required to form 

 the bottom or top or sides of the cell. So 

 true is the cutting of these pieces that they 

 have all the appearance of having been 

 stamped out with a die, and the instinct 

 which enables the little bee to accomplish 

 this work and to fit the pieces in the 

 tunnel is nothing short of marvellous. 



Each little cell when made, consists of 

 several circular or oval pieces at the 

 bottom with semi-circular ones for the 

 sides and several circular ones to fit 

 over the top in the form of a cap above. 

 Before these latter are placed in posi- 

 tion, the cell is about half filled with 

 pollen and an egg laid in it : for the cell 



79 



