PRODUCTS FROM THE BEE. 165 



its head within reach of the sweet nectar, and 

 with its long tongue, that has a sort of brush at 

 the end, lick up into its mouth the sweet juice of 

 the blossom. Not, however, to eat it all itself. 

 No ! Its instinct tells it that it must principally 

 work for others, and so it passes the nectar into 

 a little sack called a honey-bag. When this 

 honey-bag is full, off the busy little thing flies, to 

 store in its hive what it has collected. 



While searching for honey, its hairy legs and 

 body will collect a quantity of yellow pollen, 

 which it packs away in the hollow of its hind 

 legs, and which is required as food for the larvae. 



But all of this pollen is not packed away in the 

 legs and carried home. Some sticks to the 

 body, and on its round of visits the yellow pollen 

 grains are carried to other flowers and do the 

 work of cross-fertilisation ; a work that adds to 

 the strength and beauty of the flower world. 



So you see the pollen feeds both bee and 

 flower. 



In a bee community no shirking, skulking, 

 or inferior workmanship is allowed. Every 

 member of the society must work at full pressure 

 and to the utmost of its power. 



Not only must the working bee get food for 

 itself, but, more important, it must collect food 

 for the young and for its fellow bees. 



It does not spare itself. With an intentness 



