ORDER XV. HVMENOPTERA. 



A GOOD type of this order is the honey-bee, Apis 

 mellifica (PI. X., Fig. 176, ? , p. 224). We have fig^ 

 ured the worker-bee in preference to the male or queen, 

 as it is most abundant. Bees can be obtained by the 

 quantity from apiarians, and single specimens can be 

 collected with little danger. If the flower in which 

 the bee is sipping nectar is quickly secured over a 

 wide-mouthed bottle containing alcohol, by means of 

 the stopper, and then gently shaken, the bee falls down 

 and cannot escape. 



The body of the honey-bee is short and hairy. 

 The head (PL X., Fig. I'j'j, A ; Fig. 176) is large in 

 proportion to the size of the body, and triangular in 

 shape. The prothorax ( Fig. 177, /'') is very small, and, 

 like that of the Lepidoptera, is not consolidated with 

 the mesothorax, but capable of independent motioji. 



The mesothorax (Fig. 177, //') is greatly developed 

 and immovably soldered to the metathorax, and its 

 scutellum (/s'-) extends backward. The narrow meta- 

 thorax (Fig. 177, /'"') is closely connected with a 

 specialized ring, which is the first abdominal ring, and 

 for this reason is marked c' in the plate. This ring 

 is carried forward to form a part of the thoracic 

 region. 



The abdomen (Fig. 177, C) is short, and connected 



