IXSECTS. 



177 



less than two. When she finds that the piece she has 

 brought is too large to fit the place intended, she cuts off 

 "what is superfluous, and carries away the shreds. By 

 cutting the fresh petal of a poppy with a pair of scissors, 

 we may perceive the difficulty of keeping the piece free 

 from wrinkles and shrivelling ; but the Bee knows how to 

 spread the pieces which she uses as smooth as glass. 



" When she has in this manner hung the little chamber 

 all round with this splendid scarlet tapestry, of which she 

 is not sparing, but extends it even beyond the entrance, 

 she then fills it with the pollen of flowers mixed with 

 honey, to the height of about half an inch. In this maga- 

 zine of provisions for her future progeny she lays an egg, 

 and over it folds down the tapestry of poppy-petals from 

 above. The upper part is then filled with earth."* 



Many other examples might be given of the wonderful 

 instinct of Insects manifested in the construction of 

 dwellings, as those of the Mud-wasps (Pelopceus) of 

 America, the Termites of tropical Africa, and the Ants 

 of all countries. For these, however, we must refer our 

 readers to works specially devoted to the economy of 

 Insects. 



* "Ins. Arch." 55. 



