PLATE CXX. 33 



t4 In firmeft oak they (coop a fpacious tomb, 



" And lay their embryo in the fpurious womb *." 



We find this feafon, the Apis Centuncularis has done confiderable 

 injury among the Timber Plantations in EJfex\ and we have fimilar 

 information from fome parts of Cambridgejhire. A Gentleman fent 

 me (early in the Spring) a piece of Oak, containing a quantity of 

 the larva, from his plantation at Birdbrook, in EJfex. He informs 

 me, feveral Gentlemen in his neighbourhood had found large trunks 

 of apparently healthy Oaks, completely perforated and filled with the 

 larva of this mifchievous Infect ; in many inftances the trunk had been 

 materially injured, and the cafes were arranged as {hewn by the hori- 

 zontal Section at Fig. 4, in our Plate. — The perforations were in a 

 longitudinal direction, feveral feet through the folid timber, and when 

 the leaves were frefh, appeared as fhewn at Fig. 1. 



The Infect commences its operation at the upper part of the trunk 

 of the tree ; then boring in an oblique direction for about two inches 

 or more, it follows a longitudinal courfe, it divides the ligneous fibres, 

 or threads, till it forms the diameter of the cavity, which is about 

 three-eighths of an inch, its depth various ; fometimes only a few inches, 

 at others, confiderably more ; when the cavity is entirely formed, and 

 all the duft and fragments cleared away, it finifhes the fides perfectly 

 fmooth ; the hardeft knot in the timber being infufScient to refift the 

 ftrength of its jaws. — The cavity, when finilhed, appears divided 

 by flight ridges, placed at the diftance of about three quarters of 

 an inch from each other; this ferves to regulate the fize of each 

 apartment or cell ; and it now only remains to be lined for the 

 reception of the egg : this lining is generally compofed of rofe- 

 leaves; and is applied to the apartments in a very curious manner: 

 the Parent Bee flies with a leaf to the orifice of the perforation, where 

 Ihe clips it round to the fize of the hole ; this is forced to the bottom 

 of the loweft oell ; about feven, eight, or ten of fuch pieces form 

 the firft layer; it next forms the fides, or cylindrical part of the 

 lining ; this is done by laying feveral whole leaves partly over each 



• Brookes on Univerfal Beauty. 



other, 



