Bramble-bees and Others 



Moreover, if the stone presents a large 

 enough surface — a condition easily fulfilled 

 — the Mason-bee has no reason to leave the 

 support on which she began her laying and 

 go in search of another whereon to deposit 

 the rest of her eggs. She is too thrifty of 

 her time and of her mortar to Involve her- 

 self in such expenditure except for grave rea- 

 sons. Consequently, each nest, at least when 

 It is new, when the Bee herself has laid the 

 first foundations, contains the entire laying. 

 It Is a different thing when an old nest is 

 restored and made Into a place for depositing 

 the eggs. I shall come back later to such 

 houses. 



A newly-built nest then, with rare excep- 

 tions, contains the entire laying of one fe- 

 male. Count the cells and we shall have the 

 total list of the family. Their maximum 

 number fluctuates round about fifteen. The 

 most luxuriant series will occasionally reach 

 as many as eighteen, though these are very 

 scarce. 



When the surface of the stone is regular 

 all around the site of the first cell, when the 

 Mason can add to her building with the same 

 facility In every direction. It is obvious that 



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