THE SOLITARY GROUPS 



ALL the solitary kinds appear to feed themselves 

 on vegetable juices, honey, etc., but there is a 

 well-marked division between those who pro- 

 vision the cells of their offspring with insects, 

 either fully developed or in the larval stages, 

 and those who provision them with the pollen 

 of flowers, honey, etc. The theory is that 

 originally all fed their cells with insects, but that 

 by degrees the more progressive found that 

 the food which suited themselves would equally 

 nourish their offspring, and accordingly pro- 

 vided them with vegetable nourishment. We 

 find no intermediate stages. A certain class 

 still goes on feeding on the old principle. The 

 members of this class are known as " fossors " or 

 diggers, while those which feed on the new prin- 

 ciple are called " Anthophita" or flower-lovers. 

 These are not very happy names, as many of 

 the Anthophila dig out holes for their nests just 



