ACTION OF MIDDLE LEGS. 



15 



from the proximal segments of the forelegs (coxa, trochanter, 

 femur). As a result of the oft-repeated contact of the brushes of 

 the middle and forelegs with the breast, the long, branched hairs 

 which cover this region become quite moist and sticky, since the 

 brushes of these two pair of legs are wet and the pollen which they 

 bear possesses a superabundance of the moistening fluid. Any dry 

 pollen which passes over this region and touches these hairs receives 

 moisture by contact with them. This is particularly true of the free 

 dry pollen which the middle pair of legs collect by combing over the 

 sides of the thorax. 



The pollen upon the middle legs is transferred to the hind legs in 

 at least two ways. By far the larger amount is deposited upon the 

 pollen combs which lie on the inner surfaces of the plantse of the 



Fig. G. — A bee upon the wing, showing thi- position of the middle legs when they touch 

 and pat down the pollen masses. A very slight amount of pollen reaches the corbiculte 

 through this movement. (Original.) 



hind legs. To accomplish this a middle leg is placed between the 

 plantse of the two hind legs, which are brought together so as to grasp 

 the brush of the middle leg, pressing it closely between them, but 

 allowing it to be drawn toward the body between the pollen combs 

 of the two hind legs. (See fig. 5.) This action results in the trans- 

 ference of the pollen from the middle-leg brush to the pollen combs 

 of the hind leg of the opposite side, since the combs of that leg scrape 

 over the pollen-laden brush of the middle leg. This action may take 

 place while the bee is on the Aving or before it leaves the flower. 



The middle legs place a relativeh'^ small amount of pollen directly 

 upon the pollen masses in the corbiculae. This is accomplished when 

 the brushes of the middle legs are used to pat down the pollen masses 

 and to render them more compact. (See fig. 6.) The legs are used 



