THE J'ARMER^fi MANUAL 153 



nut colour. This substance is divided into two parts 

 very supple at the end, and it is only seen at its full 

 length when the Bee is employed in collecting honey 

 in water. If the teeth be separated, we observe at 

 the orifice of the proboscis an opening, which is the 

 mouth, and above it a fleshy substance which is the 

 tongue ; their use will be explained in the sequel. 

 The breast is attached to the head by a very short 

 neck ; it carries four wings upon it, the two last are 

 longer than the two first. It has six feet, on the two 

 hinder of which, are two triangular cavities, in which 

 the Bee by degrees collects the farina from" the plants. 

 At the extremity of the six feet, are two sorts of fangs, 

 with which the Bees attach themselves to the sides of 

 the hives, and to each other. From the middle of 

 these fangs, on the four hinder legs, project four 

 bushy substances, the use of which are to collect the 

 dust of the flowers, attached to the hairs of their bo- 

 dy, and are of the same use as hands. The body, 

 properly called, is united to the breast by a species 

 of thread, and is composed of six scaly rings. 

 The whole body of the Bee appears, even to the 

 naked eye, to be well clothed, Age makes a little 

 difference with them in point of colour ; those of the 

 present year are brown, and have greyish hairs ; 

 those of the preceding year, have reddish hair, and 

 the scales less brown, rather inclining to a black. 

 Their wings are often torn and fringed at the ends, 

 occasioned by their former flights. On the wings, 

 and on the breast, are observed small orifices, or 

 pores, in the shape of a mouth, by which the Bee 

 respires, these are the lungs of the body, (technical- 

 ly called stysmates ;) this part, which is of a wonder- 

 ful construction, is both common to the Bee, and all 

 other insects. The interior of the body consists of 

 four parts ; the intestines, the honey-bag, the venom 

 vessel, and the sting. The honey-bag is as large as 

 a pea, when it is filled ; transparent as chrystal, and 

 is the store-house of the Bee, when collecting th*\ 



