£20 THE MICROSCOPE. 



hag near the root is pressed upon, and its irritating con 

 tents squeezed out into the wound. After the fluid is 

 injected, the wasp has the power of contracting the 

 barbed points, and then it withdraws the sting from its 

 victim. In fig. 279 the sting of the wasp is shown, with 

 its attachments and muscular arrangement ; and it will be 

 seen that the sting is most wonderfully adapted to become 

 an instrument of a very effective and dangerous character. 

 The palpi near it are placed there for the purpose of 

 cleaning or wiping it ; at all events, this appears to be one 

 of the uses they are put to. 



The proboscis or trunk of the Honey-bee next demands 

 attention ; this is used, with its curious accessories, to 

 collect the honey while roving about from flower to 

 flower. The proboscis itself (fig. 280) is very curiously 

 divided ; the divisions are elegant and regular, beset with 

 triangular hairs, which, being numerous, appear at first 

 sight as a number of different articulations. The two 

 outside lancets are spear-shaped, of a membranaceous or 

 horny substance, set on one side with short hairs, and 

 having their interior hollow; at the base of each is a 

 hinge-articulation, which permits of considerable motion 

 in several directions, and is evidently used by the busy 

 insect for the purpose of opening the internal parts of 

 flowers, and thus facilitating the introduction of its pro- 

 boscis. The two shorter feelers are closely connected to 

 the proboscis, and terminate in three-jointed articulations. 

 Swammerdam thought these were used as fingers in 

 assisting the removal of obstructions ; but it is more pro- 

 bable that they are made use of by the insect for storing, 

 and removing the bee-bread to and from the pocket- 

 receptacles in the legs. The lower part of the proboscis 

 is so formed that it can be considerably enlarged at its 

 base, and thus made to contain a larger quantity of the 

 collected juice of flowers ; at the same time, it is in this 

 cavity that the nectar is transformed into pure honey by 

 some peculiar chemical process. The proboscis tapers off 

 to a little nipple-like extremity, and at its base will be 

 seen two shorter and stronger mandibles, which serve the 

 little insects in the construction of their cells, and from 

 between which is protruded a long and narrow tongue 



