The Leaf-cutters 



bule, which is completed and filled up by the 

 terminal barricade. In the materials em- 

 ployed, hawthorn- and paliurus-Ieaves pre- 

 dominate. 7 he pieces, both in the cells and 

 in the stopper, vary in size. It is true that the 

 hawthorn-leaves, with their deep indentations, 

 do not lend themselves to the cutting of neat 

 oval pieces. The insect seems to have de- 

 tached each morsel without troubling over- 

 much about the shape of the piece, so long 

 as it was big enough. Nor has it been very 

 particular about arranging the pieces accord- 

 ing to the nature of the leaf: after a few bits 

 of paliurus come bits of vine and hawthorn; 

 and these again are followed by bits of bram- 

 ble and paliurus. The Bee has collected her 

 pieces anyhow, taking a bit here and there, 

 just as her fancy dictated. Nevertheless, 

 paliurus is the commonest, perhaps for eco- 

 nomical reasons. 



I notice, in fact, that the leaves of this 

 shrub, instead of being used piecemeal, are 

 employed whole, when they do not exceed the 

 proper dimensions. Their oval form and 

 their moderate size suit the insect's require- 

 ments; and there is therefore no necessity to 

 cut them into pieces. The leaf-stalk is clipped 



259 



