250 ANATOMY. 



unimportant and uninteresting ; but without un- 

 derstanding the anatomy of the bee, its physiology 

 would be vague, uncertain, and conjectural; and 

 it is physiological knowledge that has hitherto 

 led, and must still lead, to a scientific and pro- 

 fitable management of this insect. The enlightened 

 BOYLE, when contemplating the various wonders 

 of Nature, has declared his astonishment to have 

 been more excited by the mite than by the ele- 

 phant ; and that his admiration dwelt, not so much 

 on the clocks as on the matches of creation. It is 

 not my intention, however, to enter deeply into the 

 anatomy of the bee, but merely to give a general 

 account of those parts which are most prominent 

 and important ; anything beyond this would, to 

 the general reader, be tedious and uninteresting. 

 Those who desire minute information may obtain 

 it in various works, but in none more satisfactorily 

 than in that of MESSRS. KIRBY and SPENCE. 



The natural ^ C The Head. 



divisions of > are < The Trunk. 



the Bee J I The Abdomen. 



These are connected together by ligaments. 



The HEAD, in common with that of other 

 creatures, is the inlet for nutrition and the princi- 

 pal seat of the organs of sensation. Of nutrition 

 and sensation I shall speak in their appropriate 

 places. 



The TRUNK is the intermediate section of the 



