THE CAEDEK BEE. 465 



was composed entirely of horsehair. Unfortiinately this remark-, 

 ahle nest was destroyed before it was completed. 



" Another veiy interesting deviation from the usual economy 

 of the moss-building Bees was observed by Dr. William Bell. 

 During the summer of 1854, a robin built its nest in the porch 

 of his cottage at Putney, Some time after this had been observed, 

 a Humble Bee took possession of the uest, and adapted it to her 

 own purpose. He was unfortunately unable to identify the 

 species by capturing a specimen, the nest having been de- 

 stroyed; but Dr. Bell saw the Bee on one occasion, and observed 

 that it was black, with yellow bands, probably Bomibus pra- 

 torum." 



Moss, however, is the favourite material of the Carder Bees, 

 and wherever it can be obtained, they will use no other substance, 

 though in places where it is scarce, or not to be found, they 

 employ leaves, grass, or any other suitable material. "Whatever 

 may be the material, the Bee always takes great pains to disen- 

 tangle the fibres, in order to be able to weave them in a syste- 

 matic manner into the nest. This process is conducted by means 

 of the legs, . the Bee seizing the fibre with her fore-feet, and 

 passing it under her body by means of the remaining pairs of 

 legs, forming it, as she does so, into a small bundle which can be 

 easily carried off. 



The. object of the moss and other substances is very simple. 

 The Carder Bees do not build their nests, like those of many 

 Humble Bees, beneath the surface of the ground, but upon it 

 choosing a spot where there is a slight hoUow of an inch or two 

 in depth. The moss is then woven so as to form a domed cover 

 to the cells, this dome being of variable dimensions, according 

 to the number of cells which it covers, but seldom reaching 

 more than three or four inches in height above the ground. As 

 in very rainy weather this mossy dome would not be waterproof, 

 the insects line it with a ver>' coarse, dark-coloured wax, similar 

 to that of which the breeding cells are made. 



The entrance to the nest is always at the bottom ; for although 

 the insects will sometimes make an opening at the top, they 

 seem to do so merely for the purpose of admitting air and 

 warmth, and never enter or leave the nest through it, closing it 

 at night or in rainy weather. Generally, a kind of tunnel or 

 arched entrance leads into the nest, like the passage into an 



H H 



