182 NATURAL HISTORY OF WASPS. 
to the root of the scabbard, where it opens close by 
the channel in the barbs. The honey-bee’s sting has 
a very similar arrangement, with only one poison 
gland much longer, however, than the wasp’s, and 
bifurcated at the extremity. Conversely their poison 
duct is much shorter than that of the wasp. And 
the bee has less power of withdrawing her sting than 
the wasp, so that the act of stinging more often 
proves fatal to these irritable little creatures, which 
leave both sting and muscular bulb sticking on the 
hand or glove which has offended them. 
The nature of the fluid which, in so minute quantity, 
causes such excessive pain, is probably not to be 
determined by chemical analysis, even could we 
obtain enough of it for this purpose. To litmus-paper 
it gives a very strong acid reaction, but the pain 
which follows its introduction into the skin is much 
greater than a drop of even a highly corrosive acid 
would cause; and, unfortunately, alkalies are not 
always a specific cure for its disagreeable effects. 
The second bite of a snake is said to be less deadly 
than the first, from the gland having exhausted 
itself. But as a wasp or bee stings away, for as long 
as the sting itself lasts, each prick is as sharp as the 
one before. And judging from the quantity which 
distils on pressure from the point of the sting there 
seems to be poison enough to infect all. the wounds. 
The muscular bulb is a flattened, somewhat oval 
body, like a seed enveloped in a horny testa. This 
skin or testa is really a skeleton, corresponding to the 
outer valves of the male organs, formed of several 
pieces, and giving attachment to the various muscles 
which enter into the composition of this delicate and 
