Objects for the Microscope. 65 



If possible, the jaws or mandibles of the Bee should be 

 mounted with the tongue, to show the instruments with 

 which they fashion their waxen cells, seize their enemies, 

 destroy the drones, &c. The mandibles vary in form and 

 power with the different necessities of the species. The 

 Hive Bee has simple spathulate jaws; the wild Humble 

 Bee has toothed and stronger ones ; as also the Carder Bee, 

 Mason Bee, and Carpenter Bee. 



A comparative view of the tongues of these Bees would 

 be most interesting, and for those who like to make a 

 collection I will give the easiest way of preparing them for 

 observation. 



Soak the heads for about a fortnight in liq. potassse, 

 to soften the skin and dissolve the fatty substance within, 

 which prevents the parts from being distinctly seen. Then 

 wash them in water, and press them flat between two pieces 

 of glass until quite dry ; drop a little turpentine upon them 

 and let them soak in it for a few days, when they will 

 mount beautifully in Canada balsam. If bubbles of air 

 remain in the tissue, lay the tongue on a glass slide, and 

 cover it with a piece of thin glass; take a camel-hair 

 pencil and drop turpentine between the glasses, which 

 must now be suffered to boil over the spirit lamp, and the 

 air will rush out in bubbles ; keep supplying turpentine 

 until the object is perfectly transparent, then quickly and 

 gently apply the balsam. 



TONGUE OF WASP. 



How very different this is from the tongue of the Bee ! 

 Instead of the long and slender ligula, here is a short 

 broad two-lobed membrane, far more useful to the Wasp, 

 who does not trouble himself to collect the honey he will 

 eat ready-made out of the comb, but who prefers rasping 

 rapidly away the soft ripeness of the Peach, the Apricot, or 

 the Plum ; or gnawing the juicy meat at the shambles, or 

 sucking out the life of a fat Fly. This broad flat membrane 

 how handy it must be in making those curious paper nests 

 wherein they rear their young ; a trowel and a smoothing 

 iron, a spoon and shovel, as may be required ; and with 



