126 



VIEWS OF THE MICROSCOPIC WORLD. 



Fig. 213. 



animal, it puts forth from the sheath of its sucker a fine point, with which it 

 pierces the skin. This point was regarded by Swamraerdam as single, inasmuch 

 as he was unable to discern the least breadth at the extremity, under the best 

 microscopes at his command, but both Leuwenhoeck and Reaumur discovered it 

 to consist of several needles, some of them barbed and serrated. 



In fact, the compound structure is revealed upon pressing the piercer between 

 the finger, when the several parts separate from each other. These fine needles 

 are inclosed in a sheath formed of some yielding substance, and divided through- 

 out its whole length ; and not only does it shield these slender instruments from 



injury, but also serves to sup- 

 port and steady them during 

 the operation of penetrating 

 the skin ; answering the same 

 purpose as the fleshy pro- 

 tuberances in the proboscis of 

 the ox-fly. The sheath is also 

 supposed by Swammerdam 

 to be employed as a tube, 

 through which the insect im- 

 bibes the blood that flows from 

 the wound. 



A magnified view of the 

 several parts is exhibited 

 in cut 213, where a re- 

 presents the sucker in its 

 sheath ; b, half of the sheath 

 broken off, in order to show 

 the sucker ; and c, the barbed 

 point of one blade of the 

 sucker. Incut 214, the sucker 

 is displayed so as to exhibit 

 its component parts. 



THE PROBOSCIS OF THE BEE. The exquisite instrument, by which the bee col- 

 lects from the flowery realm the rich nectareous food that is necessary for its 

 support, is a most elaborate structure, and every part admirably subserves the 

 purposes for which it was made. It has been most carefully analyzed both by 

 Reaumur and Swammerdam ; and the latter observer was so struck with the 

 proofs of wisdom and benevolent design, revealed in this minute member, that 

 at the close of his investigation he breaks forth into the following pious strain : 

 " I cannot refrain from confessing, to the glory of the Incomprehensible Archi- 

 tect, that I have but imperfectly described and represented this small organ ; for 

 to represent it to the life in its full perfection, as truly most perfect it is, far ex- 

 ceeds the utmost effort of human knowledge." 



