THE EMBRYOLOGY OF THE HONEY BEE 



17 



CC 



Fig. 6. Tranverse section of anterior end of egg of Stage II, showing 

 cleavage cells (CC) x 243. 



joined more closely together than those situated further caudad; 

 the latter present by comparison a scattered and somewhat at- 

 tenuated appearance. This difference is plainly evident in figures 

 II and III (cf. also Figs. 7 A and 7B). Moreover, although all 

 the cells in the egg are of the same age those in the posterior 

 portion are retarded in development in proportion to their dis- 

 tance from the anterior end, and since they reach their destina- 

 tion in the cortical layer later than those situated anterior to 

 them, a handicap, so to speak is placed on the posterior region 

 of the egg, from which it is slow to recover. This condition has 

 also been noted by Carriere and Burger for Chalicodoma, but is 

 entirely ignored in Dickel's account (1904). Marshall and 

 Dernhehl also make no mention of it in the case of Polistes, nor 

 does it appear in Lasius (Henking). 



As the number of cells continues to increase the pyriform 

 figure grows both in length and diameter until it finally touches 

 the cortical layer of the egg at one or more points. The point 

 where the cleavage cells first actually come into contact with the 

 periphery of the egg is usually situated on the ventral side, one- 



