372 THE HOME OF THE BEES. 
half tenths of an inch long, and a little over one-third as 
broad. The bee places them at nearly equal distances 
apart, the slight interval between them being: filled in 
with dirt. 
Dr. T. W. Harris* states that, May 15, 1832, one 
female laid its eggs in the hollow of an aster-stalk. Three 
perfect insects were disclosed from it July 28th. The 
observations of Mr. Angus, who saw some bees making 
their cells, May 18th, also confirms this account# The 
history of our little upholsterer is thus cleared up. Late 
in the spring she builds her cells, fills them with pollen, 
and lays one or more eggs upon each one. Thus in about 
two months the insect completes its transformations ; 
within this period passing through the egg, the larval and 
chrysalid states, and then, as a bee, living a few days 
more, if a male; or if a female, living throüph the winter. 
Her life thus spans one year. . 
The larva (Plate 10, Fig. 10) is longer than that of 
Megachile, and compared with that of Xylocopa, the dif- 
ferent segments are much more convex, giving a serrate 
outline to the back of the worm. The pupa, or chrysalis, 
we have found in the cells the last of July. It is white, 
and three-tenths of an inch long. It differs from that of 
the Leaf-cutter bee in having four spines on the end of the 
body. 
In none of the wild bees are the cells constructed with 
more nicety than those of our little Ceratina. She bores 
out with her jaws a long deep well just the size of her 
body, and then stretches a thin delicate cloth of silk drawn 
tight as a drum-head across each end of her chambers, 
which she then fills with a mixture of pollen and honey: _ 
pas efon to anote in MSS. deposited 1 the Library of the Boston Society of 
