36 



PHYSIOLOGY OB' THE HONEY-BEE. 



* ' The action of the sting, ' ' says Paley, ' ' affords an example 

 of the union of chemistry and mechanism; of chemistry, in re- 

 spect to the venom which can produce such powerful effects; of 

 mechanism, as the sting is a compound instrument. The ma- 

 chinery would have been comparatively useless, had it not been 

 for the chemical process by which, in the insect's body, honey 



Fig. 18. 



THE STING or THE WORKER BEE^ AND ITS APPENDAGES. 



(Magnified. After Barbd.) 

 a, sting ; h, poison-sack ; c,c, poison glands ; d,cl, secreting bags. 



