176 INSECT MISCELLANIES. 



vision. When at rest, therefore, it is doubled up by 

 means of its joint, and lies in a very small compass, 

 the first portion being brought within the lip, and a 

 second part folded under the head and neck. It is 

 altogether different then from the tubular sucking 

 tongue of a fly, being imperforate and only fitted 

 for lapping ; while the insect is at the same time 

 furnished with mandibles of similar structure to those 

 of the eating insects described in the preceding 

 chapter. 



Having thus entered so minutely into the struc- 

 ture of the tongue of the bee, it will be unnecessary 

 to describe in detail the similar organs of some 

 other families, more particularly as these seem to be 

 of inferior interest, at least so far as we have exa- 

 mined them. The wasps (Vespidw), which so nearly 

 resemble bees both in habits and in general appear- 

 ance, are greatly different in the development of 

 these organs, the tongue being small, while the man- 

 dibles, on the other hand, are large, and more like the 

 insects Vvhich we have considered in the preceding 

 chapter as exclusively eaters. They are accordingly 

 better known for their depredations on fruit, than 

 for feeding in the manner of bees ; yet are they very 

 fond of sweet things, since they will plunder bee- 

 hives of their honey (though they will not take the 

 trouble of collecting it from flowers), and they fre- 

 quently devour great quantities of sugar. Kirby 

 tells us, that a tradesman of his acquaintance cal- 

 culated his loss of sugar in one year, by wasps alone, 

 at twenty pounds sterling.* Wasps, besides, are 

 insects of prey, and in France, Reaumur says, the 

 butchers are glad to have wasps attend their stalls 

 for the sake of their services in driving away the 

 blow-flies ; for a similar purpose the Americans 

 sometimes suspend a hornet's nest in their parlour.f 



* Intr. i, 228. t St John's Letters of an American Farmer. 



