130 



Insect Architecture. 



Probably the latter circumstance, at which Mr. Knight 

 seems to have been surprised, was nothing more than an 

 instance of the division of labour so strikingly exemplified 

 in every part of the economy of bees. 



It may not be out of place here to describe the apparatus 

 with which the worker-bees are provided for the purpose of 

 carrying the propolis as well as the pollen of flowers to the 

 hive, and which has just been alluded to in the observations 

 of Mr. Knight. The shin or middle portion of the hind pair 

 of legs is actually formed into a triangular basket, admirably 

 adapted to this design. The bottom of this basket is com- 



Strticture of the legs of the Bee, for carrying propolis and pollen, magnified. 



posed of a smooth, shining, horn-like substance, hollowed out 

 in the substance of the limb, and surrounded with a margin 

 of strong and thickly-set bristles. Whatever materials, 

 therefore, may be placed by the bee in the interior of this 

 basket, aro secured from falling out by the bristles around it, 

 whose elasticity will even allow the load to be heaped beyond 

 their points without letting it fall. 



In the case of propolis, when the bee is loading her 

 singular basket, she first kneads the piece she has detached 

 with her mandibles, till it becomes somewhat dry and less 

 adhesive, as otherwise it would stick to her limbs. This 

 preliminary process sometimes occupies nearly half an hour. 



