6 THE EMBRYOLOGY OF THE HONEY BEE 



(1905), the egg of Polistes is usually attached to that wall of 

 the cell nearest the center of the nest and about two-thirds of 

 the depth of the cell from its mouth. 



M 



^v 



Fig. 1. A, Surface view of anterior end of egg, showing the reticulated 

 chorion, and the micropylar area (M) ; x 100. B, Surface view of a small 

 portion of the chorion showing reticulum and tubercules, x 713. 



Two membranes cover the external surface of the egg. The 

 outer of these, the chorion, (Fig. 1, A and B), is a very thin and 

 transparent but tough and dense sheet about half a micron in 

 thickness, completely surrounding the egg, and protecting it from 

 direct contact with the atmosphere. The composition of this 



