60 CONVERSATIONS ON 



trees. This they work up into little balls, 

 and knead it until it is a little dry, so as not 

 to stick. This takes the bee sometimes as 

 much as half an hour. When the balls are 

 ready, she passes them backwards with her 

 feet to the basket, puts them in, and gives 

 them a pat or two to make them lie close ; 

 and when she adds more, she pats it still 

 harder, and when the basket is full, away she 

 goes to the hive. But there is another curi- 

 ous instrument about the bee. I mean its 

 sting: this is like the head of a barbed or 

 bearded arrow. There is a sheath for it when 

 the bee does not wish to use it ; and here is a 

 picture of it. 



a, The sting of a Bee, magnified to show the barbed darts"; 6, the last 

 ring of the abdomen of a Bee opened, showing the sting in its sheath. 



But let us now continue our walk." 



" Well, Uncle Philip, it is really very pleas- 

 ant to walk with you : it seems as if you met 

 nothing which could not teach us things 

 worth knowing." 



