THE BEES WHICH WE PASS BY. 219 



that the bee's sting enters the flesh perpendicularly, 

 it is more likely to be safely withdrawn ; but if it 

 enters at an angle, as it usually does if the bee bends 

 its abdomen forward, then the sting is left behind. 

 In this event it should be instantly removed by a 

 rapid scrape to the right or left with the nail or the 

 point of a penknife. To withdraw the sting by pull- 

 ing with the two fingers is to incur the possible risk 

 of pinching the poison bag and injecting more poison 

 into the wound. 



