255 TRANSFORMATIONS OF INSECTS. 



arc sucked and digested by the bees are to a great extent trans- 

 formed into wax, which is to all intents and purposes a sort 

 of fat. 



The hind legs of the bees are so important to them in every- 

 thing relating to the larvse that it is necessary to notice them 

 briefly. They are very wonderful implements. The leg is much 

 enlarged near its farther end, and resembles a long triangle in 

 outline; a set of sharp points or many strong spines, which are 

 regularly distributed, form a kind of rake tov/ards the extremity, 

 and this implement enables the bee to seize the waxy plates that 



UNDER SURFACE OF A BEE, SHOWING THE WAX BETWEEN THE SEGMENTS. 



are between its abdominal segments. The first joint of the tarsus 

 or foot succeeds the leg and attains a great size, when compared 

 with that of the other members of the structure. Being articulated 

 with or jointed to the leg by its internal angle, the free externa 

 portion forms, with the leg, a true pair of pincers ; moreover, two 

 small spines render the arrangement all the more perfect. This 

 joint is square in outline, and is perfectly smooth on the outside, 

 whilst it is furnished on the inside with many transverse sets of stiff 

 hairs of equal size. The limb acts capitally as a trowel and as a 

 brush. The fertile female, Avhich never works, has the traces of 

 this arrangement, and the males also ; but neither of them has the 

 pinching and brushing structures. These are restricted to the 

 workers. The fore legs have a deep notch in the first joint of the 



