32 PL A Tee XX. 
race is the great end of their being, and the moft aftonifhing effort of 
their ingenuity and care is employed. to perfect this grand defign. We 
not only find innumerable eggs, and larvze of Infect on all kinds of 
plants; in all flanding waters; and in animal matter, when putrid ; 
but many which can only be hatched from the egg by the warmth of 
living animals. thus the Tabanus pierces the thick hide of the Cow, 
and plunges its eggs into the flefh; the heat and moifture of which 
nourifhes both in the egg, and larva; the Hippobofca equina pro- 
trudes its eggs into the rectum of Horfes ; and the Ichneumon. into 
living Caterpillars: to thofe we could add many remarkable inftances 
of Infeéts, who have fhewn a lower fpecies of perception, by Uepofit- 
ing their eggs in places where the larve would find abundance of 
proper food; and with fuch ingenious contrivances for their fafety in a, 
defencelefs ftate, as we could only expect from the fagacity of larger 
animals; but it is only our intention to premife with thofe gencral re- 
marks, left the fubjeét we have chofen for our prefent Plate fhould be 
confidered as a folitary example of fuch ingenuity, and e¢are towards 
their future offspring. 
The Natural Hiftory of tlie Common Bee has been. both fully and 
ably treated of, by Schirach, Maraldi, Reaumur, Debraw, and other 
authors of refpectability, and may be fuppofed to be pretty generally 
known by thofe converfant in rural affairs; the manners, however, of 
other fpecies of the fame genus has neither been fo fully explained, 
nor examined ; they yet prefent a fund for the enquiries of the Na- 
turalift, equally worthy his attention; though lefs beneficial; as the 
honey they make cannot be converted to our ufe. 
Among the folitary Bees, fome penetrate into the earth, {coop out 
hollow cavities; then polifh the fides within, and depofit their eggs, 
with proper food for the larvae, till it becomes a Pupa. Others form 
nefts of loofe fand, which they glue together with a ftrong cement 5 
thofe nefts are generally formed againft walls that are expofed to the 
fouth; without, they are rude and irregular, but within are very neatly 
finifhed, and divided into feveral cells or apartments, in each of which 
the Parent Bee lodges anegg. Of our prefent, and a few other fpecies, 
we may fay, i 
a | « Tay 
