IN THE GARDEN. 



is ajmost incredible. The rapidity with 

 which the bee, with its mandibles, cuts 

 out the section, itself meanwhile hang- 

 ing on to the piece which is severed so 

 that, as the last snip is given, it 

 half falls, half flies away with 

 it in its legs ; the skill with 

 which it rolls the pieces into 

 tubes and pushes them down 

 the tunnel ; the exactness with 

 which it cuts the final circular 

 pieces just to fit the orifice, all 

 are wonderful. 



If you want a lesson in 

 dexterity or patience or to 

 observe for yourself one of 

 the almost incredible things 

 Nature's Store-house has to 

 show, track the leaf-cutter bee 

 from the rose bush or M ussaenda 

 shrub in your compound to her 

 building site in the verandah 

 and watch the various stages in 

 her building operations. 

 81 



