Bramble-bees and Others 



wherewithal for that round loaf of hers, the 

 Bee will have to make repeated journeys. 

 When the necessary amount is obtained, she 

 will knead it with the tip of her mandibles and 

 shape it with her feet into a little ball. The 

 Gnat's egg, were it present among the ma- 

 terials, would certainly be in danger during 

 this manipulation. 



The alien egg, therefore, must be laid on 

 the finished bread; and, as the preparation 

 takes place underground, the parasite is needs 

 obliged to go down to the Halictus. With in- 

 conceivable daring, she does go down, even 

 when the Bee is there. Whether through 

 cowardice or silly indulgence, the dispossessed 

 insect lets the other have its way. 



The object of the Gnat, with her tenacious 

 lying-in-wait and her reckless burglaries, is 

 not to feed herself at the harvester's expense: 

 she could get her living out of the flowers with 

 much less trouble than her thieving trade in- 

 volves. The most, I think, that she can allow 

 herself to do in the Halictus' cellars Is to take 

 one morsel just to ascertain the quality of the 

 victuals. Her great, her sole business is to set- 

 tle her family. The stolen goods are not for 

 herself, but for her offspring. 



38+ 



