THE HIVE-BEE. 445 



On the extreme right of the illustration, and in the upper cor- 

 ner, is seen a nest which is also the work of insects belonging to 

 the genus Polybia, and it is pendent from a bough, like the habi- 

 tation of the Chartergus and other pensile hymenoptera. 



In the same collection there are many more specimens of social 

 nests formed by insects belonging to this genus, two cases being 

 quite filled with them. One is attached to the bark of a tree, and 

 resembles it so closely that it seems to be made of the same sub- 

 stance, this similarity of aspect being evidently intended as a pre- 

 servative against the attacks of birds and other insect-loving creat- 

 ures, which would break up the nest, and eat the immature and 

 tender grubs. Most of the nests are fixed to leaves, and are dif- 

 ferent forms, according to the species which made them. They 

 are mostly fixed to the under sides of the leaf, so that the weight 

 causes the leaf to bend and to form a natural roof above them. 

 The shape of the nest seems to depend much on the character of 

 the plant to which it is fixed. Those that are fastened to reeds 

 are long and slender, and generally much narrower than the 

 sword-shaped leaf on which they rest. Others, which are fasten- 

 ed to short and broad leaves, adapt themselves so closely to the 

 shape of the leaf, that, if removed, they would enable any one to 

 conjecture the form of the leaf upon which they had been fixed. 



One such nest is very remarkable. In general form it bears a 

 singular resemblance to the nest of the fairy martin, which is 

 figured at page 330, though its materials are entirely different. 

 The nest is flask-shaped, and its base is fastened to a leaf which 

 it almost covers. The body of the nest is oval, and the entrance, 

 which is small, is placed at the end of a well-marked neck. The 

 shell of the nest is extremely thin, not in the least like the loose, 

 papery structure of an ordinary wasp-nest, nor the pasteboard -like 

 material which defends the nest of the Chartergus. It is rather 

 fragile, and in thickness is almost double that of the paper on 

 which this account is printed. 



The name of the species which builds this curious nest is Po- 

 hjhia scdula, and the specimen was brought from Brazil. 



For the reasons which have been given at the beginning of 

 this chapter, the Hive-bee has been reckoned among the Social 

 Insects. 



The Bee has always been one of the most interesting insects to 

 mankind on account of the direct benefit which it confers upon 



