254 ANATOMY. 



passage through it, to exercise the power of suc- 

 tion, as has been supposed. When in a state of 

 inaction, it is folded up longitudinally, and lies 

 between the lips. The tongue of the working 

 bee is probably the largest of any known animal, 

 for its size ; it is much longer than that of either 

 the male or queen, and thus fitted for taking up 

 honey at a considerable depth. The bee has the 

 power of unfolding it with great rapidity, and 

 darting it betwixt the petals and stamina of those 

 flowers that afford honey, it moves it about in 

 every direction, sweeping the convex as well as 

 the concave surface of the petals. 



The PHARYNX lies at the root of the tongue ; 

 it is an opening by which the honey passes from 

 the tongue to the gullet or honey-bag, and closes 

 by a valve. 



The OESOPHAGUS or GULLET receives the food 

 from the pharynx, and convey sit, in part at least, 

 to the stomach, there to be digested, animalized, 

 and forwarded to the small intestines, from whence 

 it is distributed, through appropriate vessels or 

 tubes, to all parts of the body for its nutriment. 

 The gullet is long and slender, commences at the 

 termination of the pharynx, and traversing the 

 neck and breast, dilates into a fine bag, transparent 

 as crystal, and when filled with honey about the 

 size of a small pea. In bees caught on going out 

 early in the morning, Mr. Hunter found this re- 



