446 FAEMERS' INSTITUTES. 



That the function of the apparatus just described is to brush or free from 

 dust the antennas is easily proved by experiment. We have only to imprison 

 a bee or wasp on the window pane of our room, and quietly dust its antennee 

 with lime or flour, when we will see it pass an anterior leg forward, draw 

 an antenna through tlje cleaner, after which the bee will pass the fore legs 

 now foul with dust between the brushes formed by the soft hairy inner faces 

 of the basal tarsi of the middle legs. This will be repeated several times, 

 when upon examination the antennae will be found entirely freed from the 

 troublesome dust. In case of the wasp, as Polistes annularis, the antennse 

 are cleaned the same as just described except that the leg or antenna cleaner 

 is cleaned by passing it between the jaws instead of between the middle legs. 

 As we are sure of the function of this beautiful apparatus we do not need 

 to refer to the wonderful correspondence in size of the cavity in each sep- 

 arate case, with the antennas of the same insect, which would be added 

 proof if such were needed as to its function. I will also state that I believe 

 I have found an antenna cleaner in some beetles, especially carabids. In 

 these cases the cavity and lid are both on the tibia a little distance towards 

 the body from its farther end. 



In the honey-bee on the outer end of the tibia, just opposite the pollen 

 cleaner (Fig. 1.) is a small brush. This has been regarded by some as a 

 cleaner of the antennae cleaners ; but we have seen that the latter organs are 

 cleaned in another way. I have never seen these brushes used to clean the 

 cavities, though I have observed closely. The fact that other bees, wasps, 

 ants, etc., have no such brush makes me doubt such function. 



The branching, fluffy hairs which cover the upper part of the fore leg (Fig. 

 1) of the worker honey-bee are like the same in other legs of the same insect,. 

 of use in gathering the pollen. From these hairs the pollen is combed off and 

 transported to the pollen baskets.. 



Opposite the side of the basal tarsus which contains the cavity of the 

 antennaj cleaner of the bee (Fig. 1.) is a comb formed of quite stiff hairs. 

 This is used to free the hairy compound eyes of the bees of dust, pollen, etc., 

 and also to comb the pollen off the lighter hairs. The former function may 

 be observed by close observation, as the bee is seen to wipe its pollen- 

 begrimmed eyes, much as the common house fly is observed to rub its eyes, 

 face and antenna?. 



The middle legs of bees are covered with the compound hairs to the end of 



the tibia where a prominent tibial spur 

 (Fig. 8) is seen, but no more prominent in 



^s^^:"?*^?— =-^-^3s^^^^' ^' ^ -mir the honey-bee than in other bees and in 



^^^ ^^^*^^^^^^ wasps. Indeed it is even larger in drones 



^i<5- S- than in the worker bees. It has been 



claimed that this is the lever with which the bee pries off the pollen mass 



into the cell; but the fact that these are no more prominent than in other 



