all goes well with all the other Insects between it and the orifice, and (2) whether the Insect can bite a lateral hole or not; this latter point also largely depends on the thickness of the outer part of the stem of the bramble. Fabre's experiments on these points have been repeated, and his results confirmed by Nicolas. The fact that an _Osmia_ would itself perish rather than attack the cocoon of its brother or sister is certainly very remarkable, and it induced Fabre to make some further experiments. He took some cocoons containing dead specimens of _Osmia_, and placed them in the road of an _Osmia_ ready for exit, and found that in such case the bee made its way out by demolishing without any scruple the cocoons and dead larvae that intervened between it and liberty. He then took some other reeds, and blocked the way of exit with cocoons containing living larvae, but of another species of Hymenoptera. _Solenius vagus_ and _Osmia detrita_ were the species experimented on in this case, and he found that the _Osmia_ destroyed the cocoon and living larvae of the _Solenius_, and so made its way out. Thus it appears that _Osmia_ will respect the life of its own species, and die rather than destroy it, but has no similar respect for the life of another species. Some of Fabre's most instructive chapters are devoted to the habits and instincts of various species of the genus _Osmia_. It is impossible here to find space even to summarise them, still more impossible to do them justice; but we have selected the history just recounted, because it is rare to find in the insect world instances of such self-sacrifice by an individual for one of the same generation. It would be quite improper to generalise from this case, however, and conclude that such respect for its own species is common even amongst the Osmia. Fabre, indeed, relates a case that offers a sad contrast to the scene of self-sacrifice and respect for the rights of others that we have roughly portrayed. He was able to induce a colony of _Osmia tricornis_ (another species of the genus, be it noted) to establish itself and {51}work in a series of glass tubes that he placed on a table in his laboratory. He marked various individuals, so that he was able to recognise them and note the progress of their industrial works. Quite a large number of specimens thus established themselves and concluded their work before his very eyes. Some individuals, however, when they had completed the formation of a series of cells in a glass tube or in a reed, had still not entirely completed their tale of work. It would be supposed that in such a case the individual would commence the formation of another series of cells in an unoccupied tube. This was not, however, the case. The bee preferred tearing open one or more cells already completed—in some cases, even by itself—scattering the contents, and devouring the egg; then again provisioning the cell, it would deposit a fresh egg, and close the chamber.