840 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Oct. 1 



gJj5Tj of an inch thick, pasted to glass slides, 

 and then treated with various chemicals to 

 stain the different parts. Of course, a 

 strong microscope is needed to make out the 

 details. 



At the end of the ovarian tube, next to the 

 thorax, the condition is represented by Fig. 

 1, the small irregular bodies being the nu- 

 clei («) of cells. As far as can be seen, 

 these nuclei are all of the same importance. 

 The boundaries of the cells are not distinct 

 here. 



The next step is represented by Fig. 2. 

 Some of the nuclei have been pushed to the 

 edge, and now form a layer of cells all 

 around the mass in the middle. On a sec- 

 tion this tube is represented by a double 



very large, and are marked//, while others 

 surround the entire egg in a thin layer 

 {/■?). The nuclei of// are very large and 

 irregular, and the nucleus of the egg is 

 marked in the drawing as £71. The sub- 

 stance of feeding cells, // and /2, goes into 

 the egg, and furnishes the material on 

 which the growing egg lives until it hatch- 

 es into the larva and is fed by the workers. 

 All of these drawings are made on the 

 same scale, so that it is easily seen how 

 much the eggs increase in size from the 

 stag'e represented in Fig. 1 to that in Fig. 

 3. After the feeding of the egg is completed 

 it passes down the tube where the chorion 

 is formed, and then the egg is ready for 

 laying. 



line, marked ep. Of the remaining nuclei, 

 some have become larger, and are now en- 

 closed in a distinct cell membrane. These 

 are marked E, and are destined to become 

 eggs while those marked /are the feeding 

 or nurse cells, which aid in the nourishing 

 of the future egg. The cells which in Fig. 

 1 are all alike have now taken on special 

 duties, and are corresponding!}^ modified. 



In Fig. 3 is represented the condition that 

 is found not far from the posterior end of 

 the ovarian tube. But one end of the egg is 

 represented, because a full illustration 

 would be too large; but the diameter at 

 this time is about that of the ripe egg, and 

 you can readily estimate the length. Part 

 of the feeding-cells (/) have also become 



In the formation of the egg we see illus- 

 trated a principle which exists throughout 

 all nature — the survival of the fittest. The 

 cells in Fig. 1 seem to be all alike; but cer- 

 tain cells are stronger, and therefore take 

 in more food from the blood, thus increas- 

 ing in size and becoming eggs. Others are 

 weaker, and are pushed to the edge by the 

 rapidly growing cells, and ultimately form 

 only the cover-cells. The feeding-cells are 

 strong also, and increase in size, but they 

 too are compelled to give up their substance 

 to the still stronger egg-cells, and are later 

 killed. This seems to be an effort on the 

 part of nature to sort out for the reproduc- 

 tion of the animal only the very best cells 

 in the ovary. 



