THE HONEY-BEE. 41 



THE STING, with its appendages, (annexed Wood- 

 Cut,) lies close to the last stomach,, and, like the 

 proboscis, may seem to the naked eye a simple in- 

 strument, while it is, in fact, no less complex in its 

 structure than the former apparatus. Instead of 

 being a simple sharp-pointed weapon, like a fine 

 needle, it is composed of two branches or darts, a a, 

 applied to each other longitudinally, and lodged in 

 one sheath, b b. One of these darts is somewhat 

 longer than the other; they penetrate alternately, 

 taking hold of the flesh, till the whole sting is com- 

 pletely buried. The sheath is formed by two horny 

 scales, (themselves inclosed within two fleshy sheaths, 

 c c,) along the groove of which, when the sting is 

 extruded, flows the poison from a bag or reservoir d, 

 in the body of the insect near the root of the sting. 

 The darts composing this weapon, are each furnished 

 with five teeth or barbs, set obliquely on their outer 

 side, which give the instrument the appearance of an 

 arrow, and by which it is retained in the wound it 

 has made, till the poison has been injected ; and 

 though it is said the insect has the power of raising 

 or depressing them at pleasure, it often happens that 

 when suddenly driven away, it is unable to extricate 

 itself without leaving behind it the whole apparatus, 

 and even part of its intestines ; death is the inevit- 

 able consequence. Though detached from the ani- 

 mal, this formidable weapon still retains, by means 

 of the strong muscles by which it is impelled, the 

 power of forcing itself still deeper. On the subject 



