THE HONEY-BEE. 39 



The ABDOMEN, (Plate III. figs. 3, 4, 5, & 6,) 

 attached to the posterior part of the thorax by a 

 slender ligament like that which unites the thorax 

 and the head, consists of six scaly .rings of unequal 

 breadth. It contains two stomachs, the small in- 

 testines, the venom-bag, and the sting. An open- 

 ing, placed at the root of the proboscis, is the mouth 

 of the oesophagus or gullet, which traverses the 

 trunk, and leads to the anterior stomach. This last 

 named vessel is but a dilatation of the gullet, and in 

 fact forms the honey-bag. When full, it exhibits 

 the form of a small transparent globe, somewhat less 

 in size than a pea. It is susceptible of contraction, 

 and so organised as to enable the Bee to disgorge its 

 contents. The second stomach, which is separated 

 from the first, of which it appears to be merely a 

 continuation, only by a very short tube, is cylin- 

 drical, and very muscular ; it is the receptacle for 

 the food, which is there digested, and conveyed by 

 the small intestines to all parts of the body for its* 

 nutriment. It receives also the honey from which 

 wax is elaborated. Scales of this last mentioned 

 substance are found ranged in pairs, and contained 

 in minute receptacles under the lower segments of 

 the abdomen. No direct channel of communication 

 between the stomach and these receptacles or wax- 

 pockets has yet been discovered ; but Huber con- 

 jectures that the secreting vessels are contained in 

 the membrane which lines these receptacles, and 

 which is covered with a reticulation of hexagonal 

 meshes analogous to the inner coat of the second 

 stomach of ruminating quadrupeds. Plate III. FIG:. 1, 



