Bramble-bees and Others 



exact object of the Leaf-cutter's ridiculous 

 pile? 



I wish I could believe that, seeing that the 

 place was dangerous, she made her heap big- 

 ger so that the rampart might be in propor- 

 tion to the danger. Then, perhaps, at the 

 moment of starting on the cells, she disap- 

 peared, the victim of an accident, blown out 

 of her course by a gust of wind. But this 

 line of defence is not admissible in the Mega- 

 chile's case. The proof is palpable: the gal- 

 leries aforesaid are barricaded up to the level 

 of the ground; there is no room, absolutely 

 none, to lodge even a single egg. What was 

 her object, I aslc again, when she persisted in 

 obstinately piling up her wafers? Has she 

 really an object? 



I do not hesitate to say no. And my an- 

 swer is based upon what the Osmise taught 

 me. I have described above how the Three- 

 horned Osmia, towards the end of her life, 

 when her ovaries are depleted, expends on 

 useless operations such energy as remains to 

 her. Born a worker, she is bored by the in- 

 activity of retirement; her leisure requires an 

 occupation. Having nothing better to do, 

 she sets up partitions; she divides a tunnel 



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