Bramble-bees and Others 



succeeded; but the failure is easily explained. 

 The partitions and the closing-plug of the 

 Horned and of the Three-horned Osmia are 

 made, as we have seen, of a sort of mud which 

 water Instantly reduces to pap. With the 

 upright position of the reeds, the stopper of 

 the opening would receive the rain and would 

 become diluted; the ceilings of the storeys 

 would fall in and the family would perish by 

 drowning. Therefore the Osmia, who knew 

 of these drawbacks before I did, refuses the 

 reeds when they are placed perpendicularly. 



The same reed is used for a second pur- 

 pose. We make canisses of it, that is to say, 

 hurdles, which, in spring, serve for the rear- 

 ing of silkworms and. In autumn, for the dry- 

 ing of figs. At the end of April and during 

 May, which Is the time when the Osmiae work, 

 the canisses are Indoors, In the silk-worm 

 nurseries, where the Bee cannot take possession 

 of them; in autumn, they are outside, expos- 

 ing their layers of figs and peeled peaches to 

 the sun; but by that time the Osmlas have long 

 disappeared. If, however, during the spring, 

 an old, disused hurdle Is left out of doors. 

 In a horizontal position, the Three-horned 

 Osmia often takes possession of It and makes 



s6 



