INSECTS IN RELATION TO PLANTS 2 I I 



one side being transferred to the corbiculum of the opposite side. This 

 is accomplished in the following manner: the left pecten combs out the 

 pollen from the right planta and a mass of pollen forms just above the 

 left pecten at the lower end of the corbiculum; this mass gradually 

 grows larger and is pushed up along the corbiculum by the upward 

 movement of the auricle: Further details are given by Casteel, whose 

 admirably precise and thorough studies on the manipulation of pollen 

 and wax by the honey bee have corrected certain prevalent errors and 

 added much to our knowledge of the subject. Arriving at the nest, the 

 hind legs are thrust into a cell and the mass of pollen on each corbiculum 

 is pried out by means of a spur situated at the apex of the middle tibia 

 (Fig. 264, B, s), this lever being slipped in at the upper end of the corbicu- 

 lum and then pushed along the tibia under the mass of pollen; the spur is 

 used also in cleaning the wings, which explains its presence on queen 

 and drone, as well as worker, but the pollen-gathering structures of the 

 hind legs are confined to the worker. The so-called wax-pincers of the 

 hind legs (Fig. 264, A, C,w) at the tibio-tarsal articulation, have nothing 

 to do with the transfer of wax scales from the abdomen to the mouth, 

 according to Casteel; a wax scale being removed from its pocket by 

 becoming impaled on stiff spines at the distal end of the inner face of the 

 planta. 



For cleaning the antennae, a front leg is passed over an antenna, 

 which slips into a semicircular scraper (Fig. 264, D, a) fashioned from the 

 basal segment of the tarsus; when the leg is bent at the tibio-tarsal 

 articulation, an appendage, or velum (v) of the tibia falls into place to 

 complete a circular comb, through which the antenna is drawn. This 

 comb is itself cleaned by means of a brush of hairs (b} on the front margin 

 of the tibia. A series of erect spines (sp) along the anterior edge of the 

 metatarsus is used as an eye brush, to remove pollen grains or other 

 foreign bodies from the hairs of the compound eyes. The labium, hypo- 

 pharynx and maxillae (Fig. 54) are exquisitely constructed with reference 

 to gathering and sucking nectar; the maxillae are used also to smooth 

 the cell walls of the comb; the mandibles (Fig. 45, C), notched in queen 

 and drone but with a sharp entire edge in the worker, are used for cut- 

 ting, scraping and moulding wax, as well as for other purposes. The 

 entire digestive system of the honey bee is adapted in relation to nectar 

 and pollen as food; the proventriculus forms a reservoir for honey and 

 is even provided at its mouth with a rather complex apparatus for strain- 

 ing the honey from the accompanying pollen grains, as described by 

 Cheshire. The wax glands (Fig. 102) are remarkable specializations in 



