152 Life and Immortalty. 
strikingly characteristic of the Megachilide, was evidence of 
the most positive kind that Pelopezus had nothing whatever 
to do with their putting together. It bespoke a piece of 
work that was entirely beyond the highest capability of her 
being to execute. 
Each of the included leafy cells was one and one-eighth 
inches in length, and just barely exceeding one-fourth in 
width. Elliptical pieces of Spiraea, less in size than those 
previously described, but arranged in a similar manner, com- 
posed the several structures. Within each, a dead but per- 
fectly-formed Megachile, encased in a cylindrical bag of silk, 
was found, so that there could be no possible doubt of the 
builder. That this inner fabric was the labor of some 
mother Megachile admits not of a scruple, for no other bee 
is known to construct a nest of like character. But what of 
the outer enveloping fabric of mud? It was clearly impos- 
sible for the skill of a Megachile, who, while certainly fitted 
for tunnelling the ground and for snipping circular and 
elliptical pieces of suited dimensions from leaves with all a 
tailor’s precision, would find herself wofully unadapted for 
the making of mortar and the building of nests, in imitations 
of tunnels, out of pellets of mud that had to be moulded 
into consistency and shape by the jaws of the builder. Pelo- 
peus alone, of all hymenopters, possesses the ability and 
means of making such structures. Megachile, who is known 
to occasionally build under the boards of the roof of a piazza, 
might sometimes in her quest of a place appropriate the dis- 
carded cells of some pre-existent Pelopzeus for nesting pur- 
poses, but she runs a very great risk in so doing, for the 
Mud-dauber does not always build a fresh home for her 
treasures, save when there is a lack of the last year’s struct- 
ures. Old nests, when found, are put in speedy repair and 
made to do as invaluable a service. 
