THE HISTORY OF A HUMBLE-BEE. 179 



FIG. 60. — MRS. BUMBLE FILLS THE HONEY JARS. 



"Does she do it with her paws?" ex- 

 claimed the lad, his face all aglow with 

 the interest and excitement of his new thoughts. 



"iSTot quite that, Harry," I replied, smiling; "but 

 that 's the principle. Instead of squeezing the crop 

 with her hands, she causes the muscles which surround 

 it to contract, and that presses tightly upon it. Just as 

 my hand is opened and shut at once by certain muscles 

 that expand and contract — thus !— so the bee's crop is 

 pushed together and filled out again by the muscles that 

 surround it. ]^ow, suppose my fingers to represent 

 those muscles ; they tighten upon the crop — so ! (squeez- 

 ing the bulb), and then what happens ?" 



