LAPPING INSECTS. 171 



the lower lip, which itself has the power of moving 

 forwards in conjunction with the lower jaws : and 

 when the insect wishes to lap, all this apparatus 

 moves forward ; so that the tongue, which is very 

 short, does not require to lengthen itself much to 

 reach the liquid*. 



It requires, however, very minute observation to 

 see this, and it was only after many fruitless trials 

 that we succeeded in verifying the fact. The 

 method we found most convenient was to place 

 one or more ants withinside an inverted wine-glass, 

 upon the inner edge of which a drop of water had 

 been put. By means of a pocket magnifying-glass, 

 they can then be observed without disturbing them, 

 for notwithstanding their anxiety to escape from 

 confinement, they will greedily drink of whatever 

 fluid may be presented to them, and, when satiated, 

 will renew their efforts to get out f. 



In the case of bees, such minute observation is 

 not required, as their organs are large and con- 

 spicuous ; and while they are collecting the nectar of 

 flowers or sipping honey, which may be offered to 

 them, we can readily perceive their long, glittering 

 tongue darted out from its sheath, and busy in per- 

 forming its office. But as this is an organ of no 

 little interest, it may be well to describe it a little 

 more in detail. It consists of no less than five dis- 

 tinct branches, a central piece of four horny scales, 

 which constitutes the tongue, tapering to a point, 

 convex outwards, and concave on the side facing 

 the trunk ; the two outer ones sheathing the inner 

 ones so as to appear but one single tube ; by a 

 joint in the middle they bend, or extend all at 

 once, carrying with them the unjointed tongue, which 

 is cylindrical, and about the size of a hair: seen 

 through a magnifier, it appears to be composed 

 * Huber on Ants, p. 4 j c. t J. R. 



