3498 Entomological Society. 



J. B. Estlin, Esq., as, about the date referred to, viz., about fifteen years ago, I su- 

 perintended the construction of one for Mr. Estlin, and assisted him in introducing 

 the first swarm with which it was tenanted. The proceedings of Mr. Estlin were car- 

 ried on at his drawing-room window, where, in winter, he of course kept a fire ; mine 

 in my bed-room window, unaccommodated with a fire. The experiments which I had 

 previously conducted in my own hive, are recorded in the ' Honey Bee' (p. 348 et seg); 

 and I can assure Mr. Newman that it is very possible to extend the existence of a fa- 

 mily thus located over the winter, by clothing the two sides of the hive with several 

 layers of flannel or wadding, as I have proved on more than one occasion, without the 

 aid of fire. The opinion of Mr. Huish, on the vivifying effect produced by the drones 

 upon the ova of the queen subsequently to their extrusion, has been pretty nearly ex- 

 ploded, and has given way to that of Huber, in corroboration of which I offer the col- 

 lateral evidence of what I once witnessed in a couple of humble bees, (see p. 31 of 

 the ' Honey Bee '). Just as I had closed my letter, my attention was called to a 

 paper of Mr. Filland on the exposure of bees to a continuous light. His opinion is 

 pretty much in accordance with my own; still, as T have adverted to a few other points 

 I am unwilling to withhold my letter. — Edward Bevan; Hereford, March 27, 1852. 



Notes on a Nest of a Species of Osmia. — In a former volume (Zool. 747) are repre- 

 sented the cocoons of Osmia tunensis, placed end to end in the spiral tube of a snail- 

 shell — Helix nemoralis. I have just received from Bristol another shell containing 

 the cocoons of an Osmia, either O. aurulenta or O. bicolor. The shell is that of Helix 

 aspersa, the whorl of which is double the size of that of H. nemoralis, which gives the 

 little architect an opportunity of exhibiting one of those beautiful modifications of in- 

 stinct in adapting its economy to the means afforded, which we so frequently meet 

 with among insects. It will be observed that towards the upper end of the whorl it 

 of course becomes smaller in diameter ; and here the little bee, never at fault, has 

 placed two cocoons in a longitudinal direction. From hence to the mouth of the tube 

 the diameter is sufficient to allow of the cocoons being placed upright, the bee avail- 

 ing itself of the opportunity of economising space, and allowing, if required, of the 

 construction of a much larger number. These upright cocoons are attached to the 

 shell, all on one and the same side only, thus giving the bees space on the other 

 side to effect their exit. This they do by making an opening down the side of the 

 cocoons, not, as they usually do, by gnawing away the top or end ; but the bees 

 which occupied the cocoons at the end of the whorl being placed longitudinally in it, 

 removed the end of the cocoon in the usual way. The more we investigate the econo- 

 my of the insect world, the more are we astonished at the instinctive completeness and 

 beauty of all their works ; and probably it reaches its highest degree of development 

 amongst the aculeate Hymenoptera.— Frederick Smith ; Mai/, 1 852. 



Proceedings of the Entomological Society. 



May 3, 1852.— J. 0. Westwood, Esq., President, in the chair. 



The following donations were announced, and thanks ordered to be given to the 

 donors : — ' The Zoologist ' for May ; by the Editor. ' Entomologische Zeitung' for 

 April ; by the Entomological Society of Stettin. ' The Literary Gazette ' for April ; 

 by the Publishers. ' The Athenaeum ' for April ; by the Editor. ' Revue et Magasin 



