THE CARDER BEE. 
95 
in the ground, about six inches in diameter. When 
they can not find a hole suited to their purpose, 
the bees undertake the mighty task of digging 
one for themselves. In building their nests, they 
bring nothing from a distance, but use the mate- 
rial, whatever it may be, that is within their reach. 
They have no way of transporting their building 
material except by pushing it along upon the 
ground, the bee, for that purpose, working back- 
ward, with its head turned from the nest. 
This process is very interesting, especially when 
several bees are engaged in it. A solitary bee at 
work makes slow progress, but she works patient- 
ly on until her task is ended. But when the nest 
is populous, and can afford many laborers, there is 
a very ingenious division of the work. A file of 
bees, sometimes six in number, is stationed at 
equal distances from the nest to the moss or grass 
which they intend to use, the heads of all the bees 
being turned from the nest, and toward the material. 
The most distant bee seizes some of the moss with 
her jaws, and having carded it with her fore legs 
into a sort of felt, or small bundle, she pushes it 
under her body to the next bee, who passes it in 
