ny others near, all similar in
appearance? It cannot tell exactly save by the sign-board of certain
details known to itself alone. Therefore, still on the wing, tacking
from side to side, it examines the locality. The home is found at last:
the Halictus alights on the threshold of her abode and dives into it
quickly.

What happens at the bottom of the pit must be the same thing that
happens in the case of the other Wild Bees. The harvester enters a cell
backwards; she first brushes herself and drops her load of pollen; then,
turning round, she disgorges the honey in her crop upon the floury mass.
This done, the unwearied one leaves the burrow and flies away, back to
the flowers. After many journeys, the stack of provisions in the cell is
sufficient. This is the moment to bake the cake.

The mother kneads her flour, mingles it sparingly with honey. The
mixture is made into a round loaf, the size of a pea. Unlike our own
loaves, this one has the crust inside and the crumb outside. The middle
part of the roll, the ration which will be consumed last, when the grub
has acquired some strength, consists of almost nothing but dry pollen.
The Bee keeps the dainties in her crop for the outside of the loaf,
whence the feeble grub-worm is to take its first mouthfuls. Here it is
all soft crumb, a delicious sandwich with plenty of honey. The little
breakfast-roll is arranged in rings regulated according to the age of
the nurseling: first the syrupy outside and at the very end the dry
inside. Thus it is ordained by the economics of the Halictus.

An egg bent like a bow is laid upon the sphere. According to the
generally-accepted rule, it now only remains to close the
cabin. Honey-gatherers--Anthophorae, Osmiae, Mason-bees and many
others--usually first collect a sufficient stock of food and then,
having laid the egg, shut up the cell, to which they need pay no more
attention. The Halicti employ a different method. The compartments, each
with its round loaf and its egg--the tenant and his provisions--are not
closed up. As they all open into the common passage of the burrow, the
mother is able, without leaving her other occupations, to inspect them
daily and enquire tenderly into the progress of her family. I imagine,
without possessing any certain proof, that from time to time she
distributes additional provisions to the grubs, for the original loaf
appears to me a very frugal ration compared with that served by the
other Bees.

C