Whywereyounotherewithme，reveredmaster，onthebanksoftheAygues，whichisavastexpanseofpebblesforthree-fourthsoftheyearandamightytorrentwhenitrains？Ishouldhaveshownyousomethinginfinitelybetterthanthefugitiveescapingfromtheforceps。Youwouldhavewitnessed——andinsodoing，wouldhavesharedmysurprise——notthebriefflightoftheMasonwho，carriedtothenearestroom，releasesherselfandforthwithreturnstohernestinthatfamiliarneighbourhood，butlongjourneysthroughunknowncountry。YouwouldhaveseentheBeewhomIcarriedtoagreatdistancefromherhome，toquiteunfamiliarground，findherwaybackwithageographicalsenseofwhichtheSwallow，theMartinandtheCarrier-pigeonwouldnothavebeenashamed；andyouwouldhaveaskedyourself，asIdid，whatincomprehensibleknowledgeofthelocalmapguidesthatmotherseekinghernest。
Tocometofacts：itisamatterofrepeatingwiththeMason-beeoftheWallsmyformerexperimentswiththeCerceris-wasps（Cf。\"InsectLife\"：chapter19。——Translator’sNote。），ofcarryingtheinsect，inthedark，alongwayfromitsnest，markingitandthenleavingittoitsownresources。Incaseanyoneshouldwishtotrytheexperimentforhimself，Imakehimapresentofmymannerofoperation，whichmaysavehimtimeattheoutset。Theinsectintendedforalongjourneymustobviouslybehandledwithcertainprecautions。Theremustbenoforcepsemployed，nopincers，whichmightmaimawing，strainitandweakenthepowerofflight。WhiletheBeeisinhercell，absorbedinherwork，Iplaceasmallglasstest-tubeoverit。TheMason，whenshefliesaway，rushesintothetube，whichenablesme，withouttouchingher，totransferheratonceintoascrewofpaper。ThisIquicklyclose。Atinbox，anordinarybotanizing-case，servestoconveytheprisoners，eachinherseparatepaperbag。
Themostdelicatebusiness，thatofmarkingeachcaptivebeforesettingherfree，islefttobedoneonthespotselectedforthestarting-point。Iusefinely-powderedchalk，steepedinastrongsolutionofgumarabic。Themixture，appliedtosomepartoftheinsectwithastraw，leavesawhitepatch，whichsoondriesandadherestothefleece。WhenaparticularMason-beehastobemarkedsoastodistinguishherfromanotherinshortexperiments，suchasI
shalldescribepresently，Iconfinemyselftotouchingthetipoftheabdomenwithmystrawwhiletheinsectishalfinthecell，headdownwards。TheslighttouchisnotnoticedbytheBee，whocontinuesherworkquiteundisturbed；butthemarkisnotverydeepandmoreoveritisinaratherbadplaceforanyprolongedexperiment，fortheBeeisconstantlybrushingherbellytodetachthepollenandissuretorubitoffsoonerorlater。Ithereforemakeanotherone，droppingthestickychalkrightinthemiddleofthethorax，betweenthewings。
Itishardlypossibletowearglovesatthiswork：thefingersneedalltheirdeftnesstotakeuptherestlessBeedelicatelyandtooverpowerherwithoutroughpressure。Itiseasilyseenthat，thoughthejobmayyieldnootherprofit，youareatleastsureofbeingstung。Thestingcanbeavoidedwithalittledexterity，butnotalways。Youhavetoputupwithit。Inanycase，theMason-bee’sstingisfarlesspainfulthanthatoftheHive-bee。Thewhitespotisdroppedonthethorax；theMasonfliesoff；andthemarkdriesonthejourney。