104 



THE BEK-KKKPKR'S GUIDE; 



spermatheca (Fig-. 38), which he thinks act as sphincters or 

 dilators of this duct, to restrain or permit the passag-e of the 

 spermatozoa. When the duct is opened the ever-active sperm- 

 cells rush out, aided in their course by the secretion from the 

 appended g-lands. 



The spermatheca, according to Leuckart, may contain 

 25,000,000 spermatozoa. We see, then, why it does not run 



Fig. 43. 



Fig. 42. 



Labium of Qikch.— Original. 



a Ligrula. 

 d d Parayrlossse. 

 b Labial palpi. 



t Tibia. 

 t s Tarsal joint.«. 



Part of Ltg of (^luen, magnified, after Duncan, 

 p Broadened tibia and basal tarsus. 



empty, even though Siebold thought that each of the one and 

 one-half million of eggs that a queen may lay, receives two or 

 three sperm-cells. I think it is now proved that but one sperm- 

 cell enters each &^^. The eggs, which, as Girard states, do 

 not form as early in the ovaries as do the sperm-cells in the 

 organs of the drone, which are matured while the drone is yet 



