XYLOCOPA VIOLA CEA. 
2CT 
the ground, where it appears like a small heap of saw- 
dust. Thus, we see, she has prepared a long cylinder 
in the middle of the wood, sheltered from the weather 
and external injuries, and fit for her purposes. But 
how is she to divide it into cells ? what materials can 
she employ for making the floors and ceilings of her 
miniature apartments? Why, truly, God 'doth instruct 
her to discretion, and doth teach her !’ The saw-dust, 
just mentioned, is at hand, and this supplies her with 
all that she wants to make this part of her mansion 
complete. Beginning at the bottom of the cylinder 
she deposits an egg, and then lays in a store of pollen, 
mixed with honey, sufficient for the nutriment of the 
little animal it is to produce. At the height of seven 
or eight lines, which is the depth of each cell, she 
next constructs, of particles of the saw-dust glued 
together, and also to the sides of the tunnel, what 
may be called an annular stage or scaffolding. When 
this is sufficiently hardened, its anterior edge affords 
a support for a second ring of the same materials, and 
thus the ceiling is gradually formed of these concentric 
circles, till there remains only a small orifice in its 
centre ; and this is also filled up with a circular mass 
of agglutinated particles of the saw-dust. This par- 
tition exhibits the appearance of as many concentric 
circles as the animal has made joinings, and is about 
the thickness of a French crown-piece ; it serves for 
the ceiling of the lower, and the floor of the upper 
apartment. One cell being completed, she proceeds to 
another, which she furnishes and finishes in the same 
manner ; and so on till she has divided her whole tun- 
nel into apartments, which arc usually about twelve. 
