ATOA ae 
ee S 
THE HOME OF THE BEES. 597 
the sod from six inches to a foot into the sandy soil beneath. 
She goes to work literally tooth and nail. Reasoning from 
Fig. 1. 
observations made on several 
species of wasps, and also from 
studying the structure of her NN i 
jaws and legs, it is evident that X} | 
she digs in and loosens the soil 
with her powerful jaws, and 
then throws out the dirt with 
her legs. She uses her forelegs 
like hands, to pass the load 
of dirt to her hind legs, and i 
then runs backward out of her oh 
hole to dump it down behind ve “ 
her. Mr. Emerton tells me 
that he never saw a bee in the 
act of digging but once, and , 
then she left off after a few 
strokes. He also says, “they 
are harmless and inoffensive. 
On several occasions I have 
laid on the grass near their 
holes for hours, but not one 
attempted to sting me; and 
when taken between the fin- 
gers, they make but feeble re- 
sistance.” z 
To enter somewhat into de- “*w#a/## ee n 
tail, we gather from the obser- Nest (natural size) f arrow, and , the 
vations of Mr. Emerton (who Containing the pupa (© is situated 
has carefully watched the hab- taning the larva?) ie bernie she 
its of these bees through sev- pollen mass and egg resting upon it, 
eral seasons ) the following daws, and contains à bg xg pend 
account of the economy of An- ning ofa cell; g, level of the ground. 
