The Halicti : Parthenogenesis 



self and come to the most striking feature In 

 the hfe-hlstory of the Halicti. 



The Cylindrical Halictus Is at work in the 

 first days of May. It Is a rule among the 

 Hymenoptera for the males never to take part 

 In the fatiguing work of nest-buildlng. To 

 construct cells and to amass victuals are occu- 

 pations entirely foreign to their nature. This 

 rule seems to have no exceptions; and the Ha- 

 licti conform to it like the rest. It is there- 

 fore only to be expected that we should see no 

 males shooting the underground rubbish out- 

 side the galleries. That Is not their business. 



But what does astonish us, when our atten- 

 tion is directed to it, Is the total absence of 

 any males in the vicinity of the burrows. Al- 

 though it Is the rule that the males should be 

 idle, It is also the rule for these idlers to keep 

 near the galleries In course of construction, 

 coming and going from door to door and ho- 

 vering above the work-yards to seize the mo- 

 ment at which the unfecundated females will 

 at last yield to their Importunities. 



Now here, despite the enormous popula- 

 tion, despite my careful and incessant watch, It 

 is impossible for me to distinguish a single 

 male. And yet the distinction between the 



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