Bramble-bees and Others 



contrary, she is frugal of her time and has bet- 

 ter things to do than to pick up the scattered 

 particles from the soil. The channel, as I said, 

 is at first uniform in size, almost cylindrical; 

 its sides still retain a thin coating of pitch. 

 These are the reserves which the Osmia, as a 

 provident builder, has economized wherewith 

 to construct the partitions. So she scrapes 

 away with her mandibles, keeping within a 

 certain radius, a radius that corresponds 

 with the dimensions of the cell which she is 

 going to build next; moreover, she conducts 

 her work in such a v/ay as to hollow out more 

 in the middle and leave the two ends con- 

 tracted. In this manner, the cylindrical chan- 

 nel of the start is succeeded, in the worked 

 portion, by an ovoid cavity flattened at both 

 ends, a space resembling a little barrel. This 

 space will form the second cell. 



As for the rubbish, it is utilized on the spot 

 for the lid or cover that serves as a ceiling 

 for one cell and a floor for the next. Our own 

 master-builders could not contrive more suc- 

 cessfully to make the best use of their la- 

 bourer's time. On the floor thus obtained, a 

 second ration of honey is placed; and an egg 

 is laid on the surface of the paste. Lastly, at 



7 



