286 



Microscopical Essays. 



of feveral pieces cut from one leaf, of forms and proportions 

 proper to coincide with the place each is intended to occupy. 

 The outer cafe, or cover, is formed with equal care and exacl™ 

 nefs. In a word, fays M. Bonnet, there is fo much exact nefs, 

 fymrnetry, uniformity, and (kill, in this little mafter-piece, that 

 we mould not believe it to be the work of a fly, if we did not 

 know at what fchool fhe learnt the art of con ftru cling it. In 

 each cell the mother depohls an almoft liquid iuSftance, and yet 

 fo nicely are the cells formed, as not to fuffer any of this fubllance 

 to be loft. But to fee the detail of the works of this bee, and the 

 curious mechanifm of it's cells, we muft refer the reader to Mr. 

 de Reaumur's admirable hiftory of infecls. 



Of the mafon ichneumon wafp* (fphex, Linn.). The pro- 

 ceedings of this are totally different from thofe of the common 

 wafp, though equally curious with them. It generally begins 

 It's work in May, and continues at it for the greateft part of 

 June. The true objecl of her labour feems to be the digging of 

 a hole a few inches deep in the ground ; yet in theconftruclingof 

 this (he forms a hollow tube above ground, the bafe of which is 

 the opening of the hole, and which it raifes as high above ground 

 as the hole is deep below ; it is formed with a great deal of care, 

 refembling a grofs kind of filagree work, coniifting of the fand 

 drawn from the hole. The fand out of which fhe excavates her 

 cell is nearly as hard as a common ftone ; this it readily foftens 

 with a penetrating liquor, with which (he is well provided ; a 

 drop or two of it is imbibed immediately by the fand on which it 

 falls, which is inftantly rendered fo foft, that (he can feparate and 



knead 



* Ecaumur Mom.. pour l'Hiftoire des Infe&es, torn. xi. par. %, p. g> 



