492 



even for a short distance along the sides of 

 the base of the tongue. These not only affect 

 the motion of the whole labium ,but also pro- 

 trude and retract the ligula or tongue. 



The ligula or tongue (Fig. A & B, t) extends 

 from the anterior extremity of the mention. It 

 consists of a sheath (Fig. 1, s) which appears an- 

 nulated from the many rows of yellowish hairs. 

 When not distended the sheath, as seen in 

 cross-section (Fig. C) is kidney-shaped. It 

 has a slit (Fig. C, h) along the under surface, 

 from the base to very near the end. In some 

 specimens the slit seems to reach quite to the 

 end. Within the sheath is a small colored, 

 triangular rod, (Fig. C, R) darker than the 

 sheath, which except for a slit (Fig. C, h) on its 

 under surface, would form a tube (Fig. C, R) ; 

 in fact the sides of the rod along the slit can 

 be brought insuch close contact as virtually to 

 form a tube. Fine hairs project from the 

 walls either side the slit (Fig. C, h) into the 

 tube, which doubtless aid in making the tube 

 more perfect. Along the back of the rod is a 

 conspicuous layer which Mr. Hyatt asserts is 

 muscular. If this be so we can readily see 

 how its action would spread the walls and 

 open the slit. The rod projects beyond the 

 sheath, as an imperfect funnel, the "button " of 

 Reaumur, (Fig. A & B, f ). The wanting sec- 

 tion of the funnel harmonizes with the slit in 

 the rod. Near the end, the rod seems firmly 

 attached to the sheath. Any attempt to draw 

 the rod from this position is quite certain to 

 rupture the sheath. The rod when extended 

 projects from sixteen to eighteen-hundredths 

 of an inch beyond the mentum. At the base 

 the rod is colorless, and its tube connects 

 above with the membranous sack next to be 

 described, and through this with the tube of 

 the mentum and with the pharynx. 



Attached to the edges of" the sheath, next to 

 the slit, and possibly as Mr. Chambers thinks, 

 entirely lining the latter, and also to the cor- 

 responding edges of the tubular rod is a thin 

 membrane (Fig. C, s). Mr. Chambers thinks 

 this passes over the slit in the rod, making the 

 tube of the latter complete. I have reasons to 

 think he is mistaken, as will appear in the 

 sequel. When not distended this membrane 

 lies in folds (Fig. C, s) ; but when distended it 

 with the rod pushes out of the sheath, so as to 

 form with the latter a large tubular sack (Fig. 

 B S, s) with the tubular rod (Fig. C, R) along 

 the surface opposite the sheath. At the base 

 this sack has a chitinous support (Fig. A, Q' Q), 

 and connects through the tube of the mentum 

 with the pharynx, and receives the tube of the 

 rod. It extends nearly if not quite to the end 

 of the sheath, certainly as far as the slit in the 

 latter extends, and is, anteriorly, imperforate. 



The labial palpi (Fig. A,k ,k.) like the max- 

 iltee, are deeply grooved, and when brought 

 close together form a tube which also has a 

 membranous connection with the mouth open- 

 ing into the pharynx. 



The paraglossia are short, leaf-like organs 

 (Fig. A, P, P) with a hollow membranous base, 

 which also connects with the tube of the men- 

 tum and the sack of the ligula. 



When not in use the ligula, with the labial 

 palpi and maxilla; all double back under the 

 head, and the tongue is so retracted that it ex- 

 tends no further than the labial palpi. This 

 shortening of the ligula seems to be effected 

 by drawing the more membranous and less 

 hairy base into the mentum. 



HOW DO BEES TAKE LIQUIDS INTO THEIR 

 STOMACHS ? 



This question, as we have seen, has received 

 various answers. Some have thought that the 

 nectar was drawn through a tube formed by 

 the approximation of the ligula, the palpi and 

 the maxillae. Others that suction was the 

 force and the tongue the tube. Still others 

 have believed that the nectar was lapped up 

 by the bees. I hope to be able to show you 

 that all are right. 



Look at the bee through a good lens (I 

 have used Toll's one-half inch) while sipping 

 honey containing grains of solid matter, and 

 the fine particles will often be seen to ascend 

 through the tube formed by bringing the max- 

 illae close together. We have already seen 

 how this liquid passes to the mouth and 

 through this into the pharynx. Or we can 

 color some rather thin honey or syrup by ani- 

 line (I have found deep red to be the best), 

 and while the bee is sipping this colored 

 liquid, which it does as eagerly as though the 

 poisonous aniline were not present, cut off its 

 head, which, with a pair of dissecting scissors 

 is done in an instant. Examination plainly 

 shows the red track along the channeled max- 

 illae and palpi, even to the mouth, which 

 clearly reveals the path of the liquid. These 

 conduits are much the larger approach to the 

 pharynx ; thus we see why bees take honey 

 so fast when they can get freely at a large 

 quantity, and why a few days of a good bass- 

 wood harvest are so fruitful. 



Bees as surely take honey through the tri- 

 angular rod, which is enclosed within the 

 sheath. I have proved this in several ways as 

 follows : 



I have placed honey in fine glass tubes and 

 behind fine wire gauze, so that the bees could 

 just reach it with the funnel at the end of the 

 rod. So long as they could reach it with the 

 funnel so long would it disappear. I have 

 held the bee in my hand, by grasping the 

 wings, while observing it with a good lens. I 

 would gradually withdraw it from the drop of 

 honey, which it would sip so long as the drop 

 was within reach of the funnel. I have in 

 such cases seen the red axis when the bee was 

 sipping colored syrup. Subsequent examina- 

 tion by dissection revealed the red liquid still 

 in the tube of the rod, clearly showing its 

 course in passing to the pharynx. If we place 



