HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



61 



has made, till the poison has been injected ; and 

 though it is said the insect has the power of raising 

 and depressing them at pleasure, it often happens 

 that when suddenly driven away, it is unable to 

 extricate itself without leaving; behind it the whole 



other intruders into their hives ; thus, Rennie, in his 

 "Insect Architecture," page 95, says, " When an ill- 

 fated snail creeps into the hive it is immediately 

 attacked on all sides and stung to death." 



Mr. Harper says : " The sting of the wasp being 



Fig. 25.— Lancet of sting of Humble Dee. X 25. 

 a. Projection of lancet. 



Fig. 26. — Lancet of Wasp sting. X 120. 



apparatus, and even part of its intestines ; death is the 

 inevitable consequence." Yet bees are constantly 

 using their stings, in the execution of drones and 

 superannuated workers, in repelling the attacks of 

 marauding bees and wasps, and in putting to death 



Fig. 27. — Sting, lancets, and poison-bag of Wasp. X 25. 



like the needle is withdrawn at once." Fig. 26 shows 

 the extremity of the sting of a wasp, drawn from the 

 slide used by me whilst writing my note in your issue 

 of December last. It does not, I think, bear much' 

 resemblance to a needle. 



