THE HONEY-BEE. 43 



from the drudgery of collecting farina or propolis, 

 the posterior pair are without the spoon-like cavity 

 found in those of her labouring offspring. When 

 about to become a mother, her body is considerably 

 swollen and elongated, and her wings in consequence 

 appear disproportionally short. The abdomen of the 

 queen contains the ovarium, (Plate IV.,) consisting 

 of two branches, each of which contains a large as- 

 semblage of vessels filled with eggs, and terminating 

 in what is called the oviduct. This duct, when ap- 

 proaching the anus, dilates itself into a larger re- 

 ceptacle into which the eggs are discharged, and 

 which is considered by Naturalists as the sperm-re- 

 servoir, or depository of fecundating matter; from 

 thence they are extruded by the insect, and depo- 

 sited in the cell prepared for their reception. The 

 sting possessed by the Queen is bent, while that of 

 the worker is straight ; it is seldom, however, brought 

 into action, perhaps only in a conflict with a rival 

 queen. 



The male, (PL 1, fig. 1,) is considerably more 

 bulky than the working Bee. The eyes are more 

 prominent ; the antennae have thirteen articulations 

 instead of twelve ; the proboscis is shorter, the hind- 

 legs have not the basket for containing farina, and 

 he is unprovided with a sting. The cavity of the 

 abdomen is wholly occupied with the digestive and 

 reproductive organs. The very loud humming noise 

 he makes in flying, has fixed upon him the appella- 

 tion of Drone. 



