LEAF-CUTTER'S NEST. 87 



she cuts off, several cells, of the shape and about the size of a 

 thimble, which she inserts successively, the bottom of one into 

 the mouth of that below it. It takes from nine to twelve 

 pieces of leaf to complete each single cell, and as each is fin- 

 ished, she stores it with a rose-coloured conserve made chiefl} r 

 of pollen and honey collected from flowers of the thistle. 

 When to this magazine of sweets is superadded the egg from 

 whence its future consumer is to spring, the provident pro- 

 vider of the store covers in the whole with three more pieces 

 of leaf cut in a circle as truly accurate as compasses could 

 describe ; room being left above this cover for insertion of a 

 succeeding cell, our, "upholsterer" thus proceeds till her 

 nursery tunnel is completely fitted up. 



Well might the gardener of Reaumur, on accidentally un- 

 earthing such a work of wonder as this nest of the leaf-cutter 

 bee, suppose it, in his ignorance, the work of some magician ! 



As compared with the petals of the poppy, the leaves em- 

 ployed by the leaf-cutter (those sometimes of the mountain 

 ash and birch, as well as rose), are materials of somewhat 

 stubborn texture, herein enhancing the skill of their employ- 

 er. It would seem, however, that pliability and thinness are 

 qualities somewhat regarded and most wonderfully discerned 

 by the little artist in question ; for we have noticed, in more 

 than one summer, the smooth, delicate tender leaves of a dark 

 variety of China rose, almost scalloped by the circles and 

 ovals of her excision, while the foliage of the "cabbage," 



