172 SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR THE STUDY OF INSECTS. 



pair of legs. The joints towards the extremity will be seen 

 to have the appearance as figured (Fig. 67). Two of the 

 joints are greatly flattened. 



On the inner side of the lower of these (fifth from the 

 tip) the stiff hairs are arranged in close set rows which act 

 effectively as a comb for gathering the pollen from the various 

 parts of the body (b in figure). It is quite possible that 



Fig. 67. Portion of Hind Leg of Bee^ 

 a indicates the pincers used in re- 

 moving the wax from the abdomen ; 

 6, the division (tarsus) with comb-like 

 hairs for brushing out pollen. The 

 division above a is the shin and con- 

 stitutes the pollen basket. 



a, mandibles which 



mould the wax in comb-making ; 6, the 

 tongue which gathers the nectar. 



this grooming process will be seen whilst the Bee is under 

 observation. The pollen is next combed out by the bristles 

 on the hinder margin of the anterior broad joint (shin, sixth 

 from tip) and collected into a "basket" formed by the 

 hollow outer face of this shin- joint, together with the 

 bristles along its border. Bees may be seen returning to 

 the hive with their pollen baskets filled. 



