464 HOMES WITHOUT HANDS. 



similar to that whicli is employed in carding. cottou wool or 

 heckling flax. 



Several species of Carder Bee are known, all belonging to that 

 fanuliar group of insects called Humble Bees. Among these, as 

 among Humble Bees in general, there is a gi'eat variety of colour, 

 so that the same species has been called by different names, even 

 by skilled entomologists. For example, in Kirby's admirable 

 monograph of British Bees, no less than seven varieties of the 

 commonest species of Carder Bee (Bombvs musconini) are given 

 as separate species. 



That such mistakes should be made is no matter of surprise 

 when we take into consideration the capriciousness with which 

 the colours of this species are distributed among its members. 

 Among the queen Bees, the abdomen is sometimes marked with 

 rings of yellow, black and red, and is sometimes red at the base 

 and tip and black m the middle. The worker has usually a 

 yellowish abdomen, with one or two blackish bands, but in some 

 eases the whole abdomen is black, except a small patch on the 

 base and another at the tip. The male Bee has generally the 

 abdomen coloured like the first-mentioned example of the 

 worker, but sometimes it is wholly black, and in many cases it 

 is black except the tip, which is dun. Indeed, these insects are 

 so extremely variable, that the only method of determining 

 their true arrangement is by taking a great number of nests, 

 breeding the inmates, and subjecting them not only to careful 

 external examination, but ^Iso to dissection of their internal 

 anatomy. 



The specific title " mUscorum," i. e. " of the mosses," which is 

 given to this Bee, is due to the material of which the nest is 

 usually made. It was generally thought to be made exclusively 

 of moss, but is in fact constructed of various substances, accord- 

 ing to the locality. Mr. F. Smith mentions sevei-al instances 

 where the Bees had made use of very singular and unexpected 

 materials. 



In one case, Bees were seen flying into a stable through the 

 latticed window, collecting the little hairs that had fallen from 

 the horses during the process of currying, making them up into 

 bundles, and flying off with them. On being watched carefully, 

 one of the Bees was seen to alight on some grass, not very far 

 from the stable, and among the grass was found the nest, which 



