The Osmiae 



rate, I came across a number of Osmiae who 

 appear to have been crushed under foot while 

 taking a sun-bath on the floor in front of the 

 window. Perhaps it was I myself who com- 

 mitted the misdeed in a heedless moment. 

 There is no great harm done, for the popula- 

 tion is a numerous one; and, notwithstanding 

 those crushed by inadvertence, notwithstand- 

 ing the parasites wherewith many of the co- 

 coons are infested, notwithstanding those who 

 may have come to grief outside or been unable 

 to find their way back, notwithstanding the 

 deduction of one-half which we must make for 

 the males: notwithstanding all this, during 

 four or five weeks I witness the work of a 

 number of Osmise which is much too large to 

 allow of my watching their operations indi- 

 vidually. I content myself with a few, whom 

 I mark with different-coloured spots, to 

 distinguish them; and I take no notice of the 

 others, whose finished work will have my at- 

 tention later. 



ihe first to appear are the males. If the 

 sun is bright, they flutter around the heap 

 of tubes as if to take careful note of the lo- 

 cality; blows are exchanged and the rival 

 swains indulge in mild skirmishing on the 



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