THE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST. 23 
The method of defence of the nest is curious. Upon 
an intruder attempting to force an entrance, the bee places 
the armoured dorsal surface of the abdomen against the 
entrance hole, which it completely fills, at the same time 
bracing its legs against the walls of the tunnel, making it 
- piactically impossible—without using considerable force— 
to displace the bee and gain access to the nest. Should 
an enemy enter the nest while the bee is at some dis- 
tanee from the entrance, she places herself across the pas- 
sage and obstructs it in the same manner. While’ protect- 
ing the nest, the bee buzzes loudly and shrilly, and at the 
same time emits a very sweet honey-like scent. While at 
work during the day the bee frequently comes to the en- 
trance, apparently to survey the weather conditions, and 
bees may frequently be seen resting with their heads out 
of the entrance hole. At night the entrance to cach nest 
is closed by the armoured back of the occupant, and it is 
a curious sight to see a nest closed in this manner. by its 
living door. Although provided with a very formidable- 
looking sting, I have never seen the bee attempt to use it. 
The larva on emerging from the ege grows rapidly, 
each stage of growth appearing to be proportionate with 
the consumption of the food—i.e., when the larva is half- 
grown the ball of bee-bread is about half consumed. When 
feeding, the larva moves its head with a sweeping move- 
ment, the mandibles cutting away fragments of the bee- 
bread. . When the food supply is entirely consumed, the 
larva remains almost motionless for several days before 
changing into the pupal stage. When full-grown, the 
larva is smooth, and of a clear white, with the eyes 
slightly tinted with brown; it is legless, and tapers to- 
ward both extremities. Length, from 7 to 10 lines. : 
The pupa is about 5-6 lines in length, of a beauti-— 
ful clear white and almost semi-transparent, looking al- 
most like a delicate Chinese carving. Hach limb is en- 
closed in a separate sheath of the pupal skin, and not 
bound to the body. After a few days the eyes of the 
pupa become brown, and before the imago emerges, the 
colour of the pupa becomes a dull bronze. The pupa also 
acquires the power of movement, and is able to use the 
legs strongly. Specimens placed in empty nests a few 
days before emerging climbed up and down the shaft 
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