white-satin pavilions. 'Twould be a callous heart indeed that could
resist the magic of this awakening.

The insect nation is represented at these rites by a few of its more
zealous members. There is first of all the Honey-bee, the sworn enemy
of strikes, who profits by the least lull of winter to find out if some
rosemary or other is not beginning to open somewhere near the hive. The
droning of the busy swarms fills the flowery vault, while a snow of
petals falls softly to the foot of the tree.

Together with the population of harvesters there mingles another, less
numerous, of mere drinkers, whose nesting-time has not yet begun. This
is the colony of the Osmiae, those exceedingly pretty solitary bees,
with their copper-coloured skin and bright-red fleece. Two species have
come hurrying up to take part in the joys of the almond-tree: first,
the Horned Osmia, clad in black velvet on the head and breast, with red
velvet on the abdomen; and, a little later, the Three-horned Osmia,
whose livery must be red and red only. These are the first delegates
despatched by the pollen-gleaners to ascertain the state of the season
and attend the festival of the early blooms.

'Tis but a moment since they burst their cocoon, the winter abode: they
have left their retreats in the crevices of the old walls; should the
north wind blow and set the almond-tree shivering, they will hasten to
return to them. Hail to you, O my dear Osmiae, who yearly, from the far
end of the harmas, opposite snow-capped Ventoux (A mountain in the
Provencal Alps, near Carpentras and Serignan 6,271 feet.--Translator's
Note.), bring me the first tidings of the awakening of the insect
world! I am one of your friends; let us talk about you a little.

Most of the Osmiae of my region do not themselves prepare the dwelling
destined for the laying. They want ready-made lodgings, such as the old
cells and old galleries of Anthophorae and Chalicodomae. If these
favourite haunts are lacking, then a hiding-place in the wall, a round
hole in some bit of wood, the tube of a reed, the spiral of a dead
Snail under a heap of stones are adopted, according to the tastes of
the several species. The retreat selected is divided into chambers by
partition-walls, after which the entrance to the dwelling receives a
massive seal. That is the sum-total of the building done.

For this plasterer's rather than mason's work, the Horned and the
Three-horned Osmia employ soft earth. This