L^OLLEN. 



328 



POLLEN. 



the under side of the body of tlie bee, and 

 tliat the pincers form them so that tliey can 

 be handled by the fore legs and deposited in 

 the comb. 



Below tliese jaws, or pincers, at B, will be 

 found a series of combs, or spines, on the 

 inner side of the legs. On the same joints 

 of the other legs these seem to be absent, 



the fore legs to the middle ones, and from 

 the latter to the pollen-pockets on the rear 

 legs. By watching closely one can see the 

 middle legs patting the pollen on the back 

 ones, making qnite a loaf of bee- bread for 

 each leg. 



It is probable, also, that the tongue is an 

 important organ for gathering pollen-grains 





fei^IN 



/"• 



H) 



TflK LRfiS OP A BEE. FROM CnRSHrUE. 



and in their place long stiff hairs appear 

 more to serve the purpose of a brush. When 

 the bee goes into a flower, especially one 

 with a narrow opening, the hair on the thorax 

 and on the head, as well as on the legs, seems 

 to become coated with pollen. This is re- 

 moved by the brushes and combs on the legs 

 of the bees. In some manner the combings 

 of pollen dust are gathered into very small 

 pellets whicli are then transferred from 



as well as nectar, for it seems to be fringed 

 with tine hair on Avhich pollen dust might 

 readily lodge. Just how tlie bee cleans its 

 tongue it is difhcult to see; but the brushes 

 on the fore legs are evidently designed for 

 the purpose of rolling off these grains which 

 possibly contain a little honey or nectar. In 

 any event, they are transferred to the middle 

 legs from the fore legs, and from the middle 

 legs to the pollen-basket in a way that leaves 



