Bramble-bees and Others 



the leaf: It lacks the necessary support to 

 gnaw the flimsy disk with any precision. A 

 tailor would spoil his cloth if he had not the 

 support of a table when cutting out the pieces 

 for a coat. The Megachile's scissors, so dif- 

 ficult to wield on anything not firmly held, 

 would do equally bad work. 



Besides, I have better evidence than this 

 for my refusal to believe in the existence of 

 alterations when the Bee has the cell in front 

 of her. The lid is composed of a pile of disks 

 whose number sometimes reaches half a score. 

 Now the bottom part of all these disks is the 

 under surface of the leaf, which is paler and 

 more strongly veined; the top part is the up- 

 per surface, which is smooth and greener. 

 In other words, the insect places them in the 

 position which they occupy when gathered. 

 Let me explain. In order to cut out a piece, 

 the Bee stands on the upper surface of the 

 leaf. The piece detached is held in the feet 

 and is therefore laid with its top surface 

 against the insect's chest at the moment of 

 departure. There is no possibility of its be- 

 ing turned over on the way. Consequently, 

 the piece is laid as the Bee has just picked 

 it, with the lower surface towards the inside 



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