OSMIA AND ITS HABITS 59 



There is a nest of yet another style adopted 

 by one of our species (Osmia xanthomdana). This 

 is formed of a series of pitcher-shaped cells made 

 of mud, constructed at the roots of grass. The 

 species which makes it is rare and seems to have 

 its headquarters on the coasts of Wales, although 

 it has occurred in the Isle of Wight and else- 

 where. This species also is not constant in 

 its habits, as it has been known to make its 

 cells underground. A very curious habit was 

 noticed some years ago by Mr. Vincent R. Perkins 

 in another species of this genus (Osmia bicolor ; 

 pi. D, 28) ; the species nests in the ground or in 

 snail shells, but, in the case under his observation, 

 Mr. Perkins found that the little bees covered 

 up all the snail shells in which they had built 

 their cells with short pieces of " bents "so as 

 to make a little hillock over each about two or 

 three inches in height, somewhat resembling a 

 miniature nest of Formica rufa, the large horse 

 ant, each mound containing hundreds of pieces. 

 This is the only record I know of this habit, 

 which must entail a large amount of labour for 

 the bee. 



These varying habits in the same species 



