VENOMOUS INSECTS 129 



point into the imprudent finger found within reach. 



"Now it is not exactly the wound made by the 

 sting that causes the smarting pain that you are fa- 

 miliar with. This wound is so slight, so minute, we 

 cannot see it. We should hardly feel it were it made 

 with a needle or a thorn as fine as the sting. But 

 the sting communicates with a pocket of venom 

 lodged ih the creature's body, and, by means of a 

 hollowed-out canal, it carries to the bottom of the 

 wound a little drop of the formidable liquid. The 

 sting is then drawn back. As to the venom, it stays 

 in the wound and it is that, that alone, which causes 

 those shooting pains that Emile could, if necessary, 

 tell us about." 



At this second attack from Uncle Paul, who dwelt 

 on this misadventure in order to blame him for his 

 heedless treatment of the bees, Emile blew his nose, 

 although he did not need to. It was a way of hiding 

 confusion. His uncle did not appear to notice it, 

 and continued : 



" Scholars who have made a study of this curious 

 question tell us of the following experiment, to make 

 clear that it is really the venomous liquid introduced 

 into the wound, and not the wound itself, that causes 

 tin- pain. When one pricks oneself with a very fine 

 lie, the hurt is very slight and soon passes off. I 

 am sure Claire is not much frightened when she 

 prick- her linger in sewing." 



"Oh! no," said she. "That is so soon over, even 

 if blood comes." 



"Well, the prick of a needle, insignificant in itself, 

 i) pains it' the little \\numl is poih< 



