Sting of the Honey Bee. 5 



this paper because in some particulars it is different from the 

 sting of any other insect that I have yet examined, though in 

 its general features it may be taken as a type of the " terminal 

 armor" in the whole order of Hymenoptera, for the difference 

 between a sting and an ovipositor is more a difference of func- 

 tion than of structure. 



It must be observed, however, that this difference is, of its 

 kind, a very wide one, for the ovipositor is an apparatus of a 

 perfect female for depositing the eggs, while in those insects 

 furnished with a sting the female organs are so differentiated, 

 aborted, or completely suppressed, as to render fertilization im- 

 possible, so that wherever this armor occurs, as it does mostly 

 among social insects, it is confined to a class called neuters, or 

 modified females. 



The sting of the Honey Bee consists of a dark brown horny, 

 chitinous piece, of a cylindrico-conical form, commonly called 

 the sheath, which is cleft along its inferior surface, and termi- 

 nates in an obtuse, but extremely thin cutting point. This is 

 the chief instrument in effecting a puncture. 



Fig. 5. Portion of a lancet showing valve, a e, much enlarged ; h, truss holding 

 the valve in place ; X 450. 



Fig. 6.* Section across sheath and lancets at the point where the valves are 

 attached to the latter ; 1 1, the lancets and appendages ; n, space between the 

 outer and inner walls which changes its form to n, in Figs. 7 to 9. 



Fig. 7. Section of sheath and lancets, at the point opposite, with section of 

 one lancet removed, to show the form of groove, b, and guide-bar, g. 



Figs. 8 and 9. Section of sheath and lancet, with latter held in normal position 

 by T rails, or guide bars on each side, g g ; a, channel between the lancets for 

 passage of poison into the wound. 



Fig. 10. Showing mechanism of compound lever-moving lancet (one side only); 

 b, arm of sheath detached ; D, lever-moving sheath, its form bounded by the 

 line, k, o, n, m; C, lever moving the triangular piece attached to lancet at c; 

 change of position of the piece, C, to dotted line, projects broken end of lancet 

 from a to a'. 



Fig. II. Point of one lancet, showing barbs and small canals, bbbbb, be 

 tween the last five; X 450. 



Fig. 12. Section of lancet immediately posterior to valve, showing its tubular 

 form and the valve, d, which prevents leakage along the sides of the lancets in 

 contact. 



Fig. 13. Point of sheath, showing thin convex end, and two lateral barbs ; 



X 450- 



* Figs. 6 to 9 were inverted by the engraver ; the parts toward the top of the page are on the 

 inferior side. 



