THE WASP. 



Sting of the female and neuter. 



two of them often join; and when the load is 

 too heavy, they cut off the head, and transport 

 the dead animal at different times. 



The males also, like those of the honey bees, 

 are destitute of stings; but the females and neu- 

 ters have stings, the poisonous liquor of which* 

 when introduced into part of the human body, 

 excites inflammation, and creates a considerable 

 degree of pain. This sting consists of a hollow 

 and very sharp-pointed tube, having at its root a 

 bag of pungent juice, which, in the act of sting- 

 ing, is pressed out, and conveyed through the 

 tube into our flesh. There are also two small, 

 sharp, and bearded spears lying, as in a sheath, 

 within the tube. Dr. Derham counted eight 

 beards on the side of each spear, which, he says, 

 were formed somewhat like the beards of fish- 

 hooks. These spears lie one with its points a 

 little before the other in the sheath, to be ready, 

 in all probability, to be first darted into the flesh; 

 where being once fixed, by means of its foremost 

 beard, the other then strikes in also ; and they 

 in this manner alternately pierce deeper, their 

 beards taking more and more hold in the flesh ; 

 after which the sting or sheath follows, in order 

 to convey the poison into the wound. The hole 

 in the tube is not exactly at the end, for in that 

 case the instrument would not be so well able to 

 wound: the sting is drawn to a hard and sharp 

 point, and the incision through which the spears 

 and poison are ejected is a little below it. By 



