130 



VIEWS OF THE MICROSCOPIC WORLD. 



nectaries of flowers, sweeping with equal facility the round or the concave surface of 

 the leaves. When a sufficient portion is thus collected, it is first deposited in 

 the reservoir just mentioned, and thence conveyed to the honey-stomach. As 

 soon as the bee has rifled a blossom of its honey, the several branches of its pro- 

 boscis are quickly folded together to protect the more delicate parts from injury, 

 and when it is again to be employed, they are as rapidly again expanded. While 

 at rest it is doubled up by means of a joint, one branch being brought within 

 the lip, and the second secured beneath the head and neck. 



Fig. 217. 



STING OF THE W T ILD BEE. The sting of the wild bee, with its several parts, 



is delineated in figure 217, copied from an en- 

 graving of the drawings of Mr. Newport, who ex- 

 amined and dissected this organ with the utmost 

 care and describes it as follows : " The sting is 

 formed of two portions placed laterally together, 

 but capable of being separated : b is the sting, 

 the point of which is bent a little upward, and 

 becomes curved, as shown at d, where the barbs 

 are exhibited more highly magnified. They are 

 about six in number, and are placed on the un- 

 der surface, with their points directed backwards. 

 At the base of the sting, e, there is a semi-cir- 

 cular projection, apparently for the purpose of 

 preventing the instrument from being thrust too 

 far out of the sheath in which it moves ; it has 

 likewise a long tendon to which the muscles are 

 attached. Between these parts, (the sting and 

 the sheath,) when brought near to each other, 

 the venom flows from the orifice at the extrem- 

 ity of the poison-tube, which comes from the 

 anterior portion of the poison-bag, a. This bag 

 is of an oval shape, and is not the organ which 

 secretes the venom, but is merely a receptacle 

 for holding it, since it is conveyed into this re- 

 servoir by means of a long winding tube, which 

 receives it from the secreting organs at /. The 

 tubular sheath of the sting is seen at c ; it is 

 open at its base and along its upper surface, as 



far as the semi-circular projection before mentioned. The muscles which move 

 the sheath are distinct from those which give motion to the sting. The sting of 

 the wild bee resembles that of the honey-bee." 



IT EET . The last joint of the feet of insects is usually terminated by a claw, 

 either single or double, and in the case of spiders it is divided into three branches. 



