^^ BEES. 



resist the active little \vorking--bee who is, in addition to 

 these weapons, armed with its formidable sting-. 



The instrument of all this slaiig'hter, the sting, is certainly 

 iJne of the most beautiful and perfect weapons in creation. 

 Look at the edge of a razor, or a needle's point, and a bee's 

 sting-, under the microscope, and then perhaps some idea of 

 ■^.ts exquisite character may dawn upon the mind. Whilst 

 the razor-edge looks like the back of a stout knife, villainously 

 made, too blunt and uneven to cleave a billet of wood ; whilst 

 the point of the needle appears to be some quarter of an 

 inch broad, and of irregular shape, full of holes and scratches, 

 the sting- shows everywhere the most consummate workman- 

 ship, ending- in a point that even when so hig'hly magnified, 

 still appears fine and sharp. Yet this penetrates instantly 

 the comparatively thick skin of a man's hand. And this 

 again is but the scabbard or sheath of still more delicate in- 

 struments, namely, two bearded darts. With regard to this 

 curious instrument, the sting-, it may be as well to mention 

 that no insects except the Hymenoptera possess it, and of 

 those only the females are thus armed, the males in all cases 

 being- havmless. Moreover, comparatively few of the Hy- 

 menoptera possess a true sting-, by which is meant, a sting; 

 that can penetrate, and instil poison into the wound. Many 

 hymenopterous insects, such as the ichneumon flies, have 

 the sting- enormously developed, in some reaching- more than 

 an inch in length, but these are unable to penetrate even the 

 most delicate skin with their apparently formidable weapon, 

 which is only used for depositing- their eggs in a proper 

 locality. The sting- acts thus : — When the bee is about to 

 sting-, the sheath is first thrust in to make an opening ; then 

 follows one of the darts, penetrating- a little farther into the 

 flesh, and holding- by the four beards on its outer side ; then 

 the other makes a still farther advance, and so they progress 

 alternately until they acquire a firm hold of the oftending* 

 body. Lastly, there issues into the wounds thus made, a 

 poison from the reservoir at the base of the sheath. The 

 poison which renders the trifling- wound caused by the sting 

 to be so painful, is secreted in two thread-shaj^ed glands 

 lying- along the intestine. These glands pour the poison into 

 a small bag-shaped receptacle at the base of the sting,*witb 

 which it is connected by a short duct, and by means of which 



