112 



THE HONEY-BEE. 



collect pollen, and to act as brushes and combs to all 

 the external parts of the body, which need constant 

 cleansing from flower-dust, and other matters less 

 useful to the bee. 



Passing now to the wings, new marvels and beauties 

 await our observation. These organs are four in 

 number, the forward pair being considerably larger 

 than the hinder. Each wing consists of a double 

 membrane, dotted all over with fine hairs, whose 

 purposes are to protect the delicate structure from 



FIG. 30. WING OF BEE. 



wet, and from particles of various kinds which 

 would adhere to it, and injure its surface. As a 

 support for this expanded tissue, there is a ramifica- 

 tion of stronger material, constituting nervures, and 

 acting like the ribs of an umbrella. With these are 

 associated air-vessels, or trachece, for the circulation 

 of air, and, possibly, to assist in giving buoyancy to 

 the organ. By another set of tubes a portion of 

 the nutritive fluid is conveyed to certain parts of the 

 wing, though no general circulation seems to take 

 place in it. The substance of which the expanded 

 portion, as well as the nervures, is composed, is 

 very tough, and, as our readers may remember, the 



