338 
BEE. 
of a sting is perhaps as curious a circumstance as 
any attending the bee, and probably is one of the 
characters of the bee tribe. 
‘‘ The apparatus itself is of a very curious con- 
struction, fitted for inflicting a wound, and at the 
same time conveying a poison into that wound. 
The apparatus consists of two piercers, conducted 
in a groove, or director, which appears to be itself 
the sting. This groove is somewhat thick at its 
base, but terminates in a point j it is articulated 
to the last scale of the upper side of the ab- 
domen by thirteen thin scales, six on each side, 
and one behind the rectum. These scales in- 
close, as it were, the rectum or anus all round; 
they can hardly be said to be articulated to each 
other, only attached by thin membranes, which 
allow of a variety of motions; three of them, how- 
ever, are attached more closely to a round and 
curved process, which comes from the basis of the 
groove in which the sting lies,- as also to the 
curved arms of the sting, which spread out ex- 
ternally. The two stings may be said to begin 
by those two curved processes at their union with 
the scales, and converging towards the groove at 
its base, which they enter, then pass along it to 
t its point. They are serrated on their outer edges, 
near to the point. These two stings can be thrust 
out beyond the groove, although not far, and they 
can be drawn within it; and, I believe, can be 
moved singly. All these parts are moved by 
muscles, which we may suppose are very strong 
. in them, much stronger than in other animals; 
