62 INTERNAL ORGANS. 



The gullet^) varies much in length, being sometimes 

 very short, and sometimes reaching to the abdomen, 

 or even within it, but it is more generally the length 

 of the fore corselet within which it is lodged. When 

 there is no crop or gizzard, it ends in the stomach. 

 At its upper end, it is surrounded by a nervous ring, 

 from which two branches go off and unite at the 

 lower part of the body. 



The crop ( 2 ) or craw is a bulging out of the gullet 

 into a sort of pouch, which, on the outside, can sel- 

 dom be distinguished from the gizzard ; but, on the 

 inside, it is found destitute of horny projections, and 

 its texture more membranous than muscular. When 

 large, it is often seen with folds or plaits. It con- 

 stitutes what is called the honey bag of the bee, and 

 it is in it that insects have the fluids, often offensive, 

 which they discharge when caught, as is observed 

 in many beetles. In butterflies and other sucking 

 insects, it is placed on one side of the gullet, and not 

 in the line of the stomach. Its contents have, there- 

 fore, to be returned into the mouth before they can 

 reach the stomach. The crop is not found at all in 

 many instances. 



The gizzard( 3 ) succeeds the crop, and is more mus- 

 cular in structure, and furnished on the inside with 

 moveable horny projections, most probably employed 

 in bruising the food. These horny pieces are of 

 various figures, and placed in various directions, 

 sometimes like a brush, sometimes like a comb ; and 

 just above the entrance of the stomach they nearly 

 close the passage, forming a sort of valve, which will 

 only permit minute portions of the food to pass. 

 Swammerdam and Cuvier are mistaken in thinking 

 insects which have a gizzard, such as grasshoppers, 



(1) In Latin, (Esophagus. 



(2) In Latin, Ingluvies ; in German, Speisesack. 

 (3) In Latin, Ventriculus callosus. 



