340 THE BEE. 



soon becomes quite covered with the dust, which it soon 

 after brushes off, with its two hind legs, and kneads into 

 two little balls. In the thighs of the hind legs there are 

 two cavities edged with hair, and into these as into a bas- 

 ket the animal sticks its pellets. Thus employed the 

 bee flies from flower to flower, increasing its store and 

 adding to its stock of wax, until the ball upon ea h thif,'h 

 becomes as big as a grain of pepper. By this time, hav- 

 ing got a sufiicient load, it returns, making the best of its 

 way to the hive. 



The belly of the bee is divided into six rings v/hich 

 sometimes shorten the body by slipping one over the other. 

 It contains within it, beside the intestines, the honey bag, 

 the venom bag, and the sting. The honey bag is as 

 transparent as crystal, containing the honey that the bee 

 has drawn from the flowers, of which the greater part is 

 carried to the hive, and poured into the cells of the 

 honey comb, while the remainder serves for the bee's 

 own nourishment ; for during summer it never touches 

 what has been laid up for the winter. The sting which 

 serves to defend this lit le animal from its enemies, is 

 composed of three parts ; the sheath and two darts which 

 are extremely small and penetrating. Both of the darts 

 have several small parts or barbs like those of a fish- 

 hook, which render the sting more painful and make the 

 darts rankle in the wound ; still however this instrument 

 would be very slight did not the bee poison the wound. The 

 sheath which has a sharp point, makes the first impression 

 which is followed by that of'the darts, and then the venomous 

 liquor is poured in. The sheath sometimes sticks so fast 

 in the wound that the animal is obliged to leave it behind, 

 by which the bee soon after dies, and the wound is con- 

 siderably inflamed. It might at first appear well for 

 mankind if the bee were without its sting ; but upon 

 recollection it will be found that the little animal would 

 then have too many rivals in sharing its labor. A hun- 

 dred other lazy animals, fond of honey and hating labor, 

 would intrude upon the sweets of the hive, and the treat 

 sure would be carried off" for want of armed guardians to 

 protect it. The concentric rings which compose the 

 belly of the bee are of a hard horny substance and im- 



