FERTILIZATION IN THE HONEY-BEE 281 
hardened or coagulated by exposure. Near the duct leading 
to the spermatheca, which was dorsal to this densely staining 
region, were clusters of clear sperm as in B, and the spermatheca 
itself was quite densely populated with sperms in a clear plasma 
They were perhaps twice as abundant as in the case of B. 
EK (mated not over two and one-half hours). This queen’s 
organs were dissected out in a fresh condition, and showed 
essentially the same condition as case C, as far as inspection 
~ without sectioning could show. Both oviducts contained sperm 
and mucus, the sperm exuding first when the oviducts were 
opened. The penis had been detached. The spermatheca con- 
tained numerous sperms in a clear fluid. 
F (mated not over four and one-half hours). Sectioned for 
histological study. Both oviducts were considerably distended, 
the penis had been detached. The vagina contained only a 
little mucus at the posterior end, which stained very densely, 
and a few sperms were visible at the edges of this mass even 
posterior to the aperture of the spermathecal duct. One oviduct 
had received mostly sperms with little mucus, the other showed 
the characteristic picture of a central core of mucus surrounded 
by a dense layer of free sperms, not so numerous, however, as 
in specimens killed earlier. ‘There seemed to be not many more 
sperms scattered through the mucus than in earlier cases, but 
there were fewer areas of clear sperms within the mucous mass, 
as if in this case the sperms had had time to work out toward 
the oviduct walls. The mucus appeared to be less densely 
granular, stained less densely than other cases described (except 
in the vagina as noted), and was probably beginning to dissolve. 
The spermatheca was densely crowded with sperms, for the 
first time in these cases presenting the characteristic picture 
of the laying or fertilized queen’s spermatheca in the numbers 
present, and exhibiting the characteristic tendency to gather into 
wavy masses or whorls with heads together and filaments parallel. 
G (not over six and one-half hours). Queen was dissected 
fresh. The oviducts were equally but not greatly distended, 
and on opening them, what fluid was present consisted of few 
sperms and considerable mucus with sperms scattered homogene- 
