in, or in order to perceive more regularly at the bottom what
happens at the mouth, at which it forms a kind of door, made of
different layers o f earth, connected together by threads, and
covered with a ftrong web o f a clofe texture; the threads are
prolonged on one fide, and fixed to the ground, fo as to form a
ftrong joint; the door is hung in fuch a manner, as always to fall
by it’s own gravity. One o f thefe cafes, or nefts, is in her
Majefty’s cabinet at Kew.
Infefts are found no where fo numerous as in trees and plants,
where they find ahundant food. They dwell 1. in the roots j.
2. in the wood; 3. in the leaves, and in the galls which grow
upon the leaves and branches; 4. in the flowers; 5. in the fruits,
and grains. It would be too tedious to enumerate the various,
fpecies o f thefe inhabitants; many particular obfervations have
' been already noticed ; it has alfo been mentioned, that fome in*
habit the moft feetid fubftances they can find, while others
dwell with and live on the larger animals; fo that it only remains
juft to mention fome of thofe in whom induftry and art is more
ftrongly marked to our eyes than in others.
Among the folitary bees there are fo many curious eircum-
ftances to be defcribed, that a Angle volume would not fuffiee to
contain the particulars ; we fhall here only relate fuch as concern
their habitations. One o f thefe forms it’s neft under ground,
which is compofed o f feveral cells artfully let into each other, but
/ not covered with a common inclofure; each cell confifts of two.
or three membranes, inexpreffibly fine, and placed over each
other. The cavity, in which the neft is placed, is fmeared over
with a layer of matter, like that of which the cells are formed,
and
A
and apparently fimilar to that vifcous humour which fnails fpread
in their paffage from one place to. another, and it is probable that
they are formed of the fame materials; this fubftance, though
o f fo delicate a nature, gives them fuch a degree o f confiftency,
that they may be handled without altering their form. An egg is
depofited at the bottom o f each cell, where, after it is hatched,
the worm finds itfelf in the midft o f a plentiful flock o f proyifion:
for in each cell there is placed a quantity of pafte, or a kind of
wax, which is to ferve as food for the worm, and fupport the
wall o f the cell. The worm is alfo inftrufied fo to conduft itfelf,
and eat this food, as to leave Efficient props for fupporting the
walls o f it’s apartment.
Many fpecies o f thefe bees content themfelves with penetrating
into the earth, fcooping out hollow cavities therein, poh’ffiing
the wall», then depofiting an egg and a Efficient quantity o f
provifions.
There is another fpecies, that forms it’s neft under ground
with remarkable induftry; this bee generally makes a perpendicular
hole in the earth about three inches deep, and cylindrical
till it comes within about three-fourths of an inch o f the bottom
when it begins to open it wider ; as foon as the bee has given it
the fuitable proportions, it proceeds to line with tapeftry not only
the whole infide o f it’s dwelling, but round the entrance : the
Fubftance with which it is lined is of a crimfon Colour, and looks
like fattin. From this circumftance Mr. de Reaumur * terms it the
tapeftry bee. This tapeftry, or lining, is formed of fragments o f
M m 2 the
* Reaumur Memoires pour l’Hiftoire des lufeaes, edit. 8vo. tom. 6, partie 1, p. 170.