Somewhat analagous to the operations of the Rose Cutter, are those of another of the same genus, called by Rcaumur, the Upholsterer, whose history has also been more recently written by Latreille. A female, (for among insects the privilege of instinct and inge nuity seems chiefly confined to females,) forms a hole about three inches deep in the earth. It is principally of a cylindrical figure, wider towards the bottom, and bearing a rude resemblance to a Florence flask with a wide neck. The hole being made, the bee, provided with a sharp instrument like the former, cuts pieces from the petals of the red poppy, and begins to line it within, proceeding from the bottom upwards. Prodigal of its labour, it brings the lining even a little beyond the orifice, exhibiting something like a red ribband. These cuttings are of a half oval shape ; they are carried to the cavity between the legs of the bee, and although folded together to facilitate their introduction, the ani mal contrives to unfold them again, and extend them in a smooth and uniform manner over the inside. This extension being completed, the bee lays its eggs at the bottom, and collects around it the farinaceous substance which is to be the food of the worms. Still its work is incomplete ; for the upper extremity of the tapestry li ning, which protruded beyond the hole, is to be folded back covered by paste, and pushed down; and after that is done, although the lining was three inches long from the bottom, it is now reduced to one. The bee then closes its nest, and replaces the earth in the cavity, the position of which is betrayed by a small eminence over the top. Sometimes more than one egg is contained within. In that case, all are carefully separated from each other. The operation, which appears great for so small an insect, is finished in two or three days, during the season when the petals of the poppy arc just be ginning to fade ; and when the flower disappears the bee disappears also. 'We are not aware that this ani mal has hitherto been found in Britain.
The operations of the Wood Piercer are no less sin gular than those of either of the preceding. A female preparing to deposit its egg, selects a piece of wood much exposed to sunshine, and tending to decay. It specially avoids both what is yet green, or placed in the shade. Provided with two strong teeth, it makes a cylindrical hole, sometimes a foot deep, and nearly an inch in diameter, perpendicularly into the wood. This laborious operation, which is accomplished solely by the animal gnawing the ligneous substance, occupies weeks or even months, and a collection of dust is accumulated beside it, as abundant as what is produced by one of our hand-saws. When the work is finished, an egg is deposited at the bottom of the hole, and covered with paste, suitable in quantity and quality to feed the nas cent worm, and similar to what has been already men tioned. But as the bee produces more eggs than one, and as it is necessary that the different young should be separated, after building up the paste about an inch high, it begins to form a partition which is to divide the first worm Iroin that which is deposited above it. And here the ingenuity of the animal is displayed in a sur prising degree. This partition is the thickness of a silver crown, and composed of concentric circular rings, consisting of particles of saw-dust agglutinated togeth er. Tne largest, that which is attached to the interior of the cylinder, is made first ; when finished, another smaller ring is built within it ; next a third, still less, and so on, gradually diminishing, until the opening is quite closed up. The partition seems a floor to the
second division, and is covered by paste, supplied to a worm in the same manner as the first. Over it the rest are constructed, after the like fashion, filling up the whole cavity to the top. By a singular provision of nature, the metamorphosis of each nymph takes place in its cell, so that the mead lies downwards. Were the disposition otherwise, as the lowest transforms first, when becoming a bee it would Force its way upwards, and thus destroy the nymphs or larvae above at; but the mother has formed a hole towards the bottom, by which its exit is facilitated. We do no affirm, however, that her foresight of the necessities of her offspring extends so far; because it is possible that the formation of this lower opening, which is in a horizontal direction, may be solely devised for ridding herself more easily of the accumulating saw-dust. More than one or two cavities are frequently made, when the diameter of the wood ad mits of it.
These three animals, availing themselves of materials already formed, penetrate into them, and lay the foun dations of their nests. But the Mason Bee, whose name is truly characteristic of its nature, seems if pos sible, to be endowed with still greater ingenuity. Se lecting a wall of southern exposure, it constructs a nest of considerable size, composed of real mortar of equal hardness and durability to what is used in buildings erected by the hands of men. This animal, as if aware that solidity is indispensible to the foundation of its edi fice, always prefers cut stone whereon to place it, and carefully avoids plaster. The females alone are the architects ; their colour is black, that of the males is reddish ; each nest contains several cells, enveloped by a common covering of the same substance. After the bee has fixed on a proper position, it goes in quest of materials, which are fine sand, apparently mixed with a little earth. But, as the labour of transporting each in dividual particle would be endless, it possesses the art, along with the means, of agglutinating several together into a small pellet, which is carried first and affixed to tile wall. Other pellets are successively added, and, by unabating industry, one whole cell, an inch and a half high, and as much in diameter, is nearly completed in a single day. Before finishing it, however, the bee lays its egg and supplies the necessary paste, and the top is then drawn to a close by a convex covering. The exterior of each cell remains rough, but the interior is more polished, considering the materials employed in its composition; and it has been remarked by M. Du hamel, that every pellet, in addition to the •humectation which it originally receives, is again moistened by a glutinous substance from the mouth of the animal, in being fitted to the won k. In this way there are some times seven or eight contiguous cells constructed to gether, forming one nest. The spaces between each are fitted up with similar mortar, and a common cover ing of coarser materials given to the whole. The gene ral solidity of the nest is thus secured, and in a short time it becomes as hard as stone. It is no rare occur rence, that a stranger Mason Bee, finding a cell well advanced, takes possession of it in absence of the owner. Furious combats thence ensue ; the two enemies fight in the air, dashing against each other with such mutu al violence, that both are often stunned, and fall to the ground together. The weakest, whether the owner or the invader, being vanquished, the victor takes posses sion of the cell.