THE ABDOMEN. 125 



when plunged into human flesh, or into thick leather 

 gloves, these barbs hold so tightly that the insect is 

 unable to free itself, and if forcibly detached, or if by 

 a vigorous effort it escapes, the sting is left behind, 

 and frequently attached to it are portions of the 

 viscera. The bee thus loses its life, and the injury 

 it inflicts is the more severe. The mere puncture of 

 the weapon, however, would be a quite unimportant 



FIG. 40. STING OF A BEE, GREATLY MAGNIFIED. 



matter, were jt not that, connected with the groove 

 in which the dart works, is a short tube leading from 

 a bag containing a liquid of the most acrid and 

 poisonous nature. By powerful muscles, attached to 

 the upper part of the sting, the barbs are thrust out ; 

 the sheath follows them into the pierced substance, 

 and then, by the pressure of other muscles, a drop of 

 the poison-liquid runs down into the wound, and 

 immediately sets up a violent pain and inflammation 



