The Mason-Bees

This volume contains all the essays on the Chalicodomae, or Mason-bees proper, which so greatly enhance the interest of the early volumes of the Souvenirs entomologiques. I have also included an essay on the author's Cats and one on Red Ants—the only study of Ants comprised in the Souvenirs —both of which bear upon the sense of direction possessed by the Bees. Those treating of the Osmiae, who are also Mason-Bees, although not usually known by that name, will be found in a separate volume, which I have called Bramble-bees and Others and in which I have collected all that Fabre has written on such other Wild Bees as the Megachiles, or Leaf-cutters, the Cotton-bees, the Resin-bees and the Halicti.
The essays entitled The Mason-bees, Experiments and Exchanging the Nests form the last three chapters of Insect Life , translated by the author of Mademoiselle Mori and published by Messrs. Macmillan, who, with the greatest courtesy and kindness have given me their permission to include a new translation of these chapters in the present volume. They did so without fee or consideration of any kind, merely on my representation that it would be a great pity if this uniform edition of Fabre's Works should be rendered incomplete because certain essays formed part of volumes of extracts previously published in this country. Their generosity is almost unparalleled in my experience; and I wish to thank them publicly for it in the name of the author, of the French publishers and of the English and American publishers, as well as in my own.
Some of the chapters have appeared in England in the Daily Mail , the Fortnightly Review and the English Review ; some in America in Good Housekeeping and the Youth's Companion ; others now see the light in English for the first time.
I have again to thank Miss Frances Rodwell for the invaluable assistance which she has given me in the work of translation and in the less interesting and more tedious department of research.
ALEXANDER TEIXEIRA DE MATTOS.