The aspect selected by the females for their burrows, varies according to the species. Some choose a northern, and others a southern aspect; thus, the _C. succincta_ seems to prefer the former, and the _C. fodiens_ the latter, as does also the _C. Daviesana_; and where they burrow they congregate in enormous multitudes. The mortar interstices of an old wall, or a vertical sand-rock, which, from exposure, is sufficiently softened for their purpose, are equally agreeable to them; nor have they any objection to clay banks. In these localities each individual perforates a cylindrical cavity, slightly larger than itself, and which it excavates to a depth of from eight to ten inches, or even sometimes less. Now comes into operation the use of the peculiarly-formed tongue with which nature has furnished them, and described above in the generic character. These cells are occupied by a succession of six, or eight, or even sometimes no more than two, three, or four cartridge- or thimble-like cases, in each of which is deposited a single egg with a sufficiency, taught the creature by its instinct, of a mingled paste of honey and pollen, for the full nurture and development of the vermicle that will proceed from the egg upon its being hatched, and wherein this larva, having consumed its provender, becomes transformed into the pupa, and by the continuance of nature’s mysterious operations, it speedily changes into the perfect insect. But the beauty with which these little cells are formed transcends conception. Each consists of a succession of layers of a membrane more delicate than the thinnest goldbeater’s skin, and more lustrous than the most beautiful satin. In glitter it most resembles the trail left by the snail, and is evidently, from all experiments made, a secretion of the insect elaborated from some special food it consumes, and by means of its bilobated tongue, which it uses as a trowel, it plasters with it the sides and the bottom of the tube it has excavated to the extent necessary for one division. As this secretion dries rapidly to a membrane it is succeeded by others, to the number of three or four, which may be separated from each other by careful manipulation. It then stores this cell, deposits the egg, and proceeds to close it with a covercle of double the number of membranes with which the sides are furnished, and continues with another in a similar manner, until it has completed sufficient to fill the tubular cavity, which, after closing the last case similarly to the rest, it stops up the orifice with grains of sand or earth. The food stored up is subject to fermentation, but this does not appear to be prejudicial to the larva, which first consumes the liquid portion of the store and then drills into the centre of the more solid part, and continues enlarging this little cylinder until increasing in growth by its consumption, it itself fills the cavity, and thus supplies the lateral stay or prop which, by