160 NATURAL ARRANGEMENT OF INSECTS. 



generally of sombre and uniform colours : but some are 

 adorned with the gayest metallic and party-coloured 

 vestments ; yet it is chiefly among the parasitic tribes 

 that a gaudy costume is conspicuous. The purpose 

 which bees have to fulfil in the economy of nature, is 

 to collect the superfluous pollen of flowers, and whilst 

 collecting it, to convey it from plant to plant, whereby 

 the impregnation of these is more securely effected than 

 if it were left to the accidental agency of the wind ; 

 and, although this object is partially concealed beneath 

 the instinctive propensity to collect nutriment for their 

 young, yet is it so conspicuous, and has been so fully 

 proved by the careful researches and observations of 

 Sprengel and Kohlenreuter, that it must excite universal 

 admiration at the comparatively simple, yet certain, 

 means, Nature so frequently adopts to obtain important 

 results, one process accomplishing manifold purposes. 

 To effect this end, they are of course furnished with 

 adequate organs; and they are assisted to convey it, 

 whilst collecting it from flower to flower, usually by 

 means of a dense brush of hair, sometimes surrounding 

 the posterior tibiae and basal joint of the tarsus, but 

 which is placed occasionally merely externally upon 

 those members : in conjunction with this brush, there is 

 frequently a long curled lock of hair at the base of the 

 femur beneath ; and where this occurs, the whole of 

 that member is fringed, or the sides of the metathorax 

 behind are very hairy. In others, the clothing of the 

 legs is superseded by a very thick brush, occupying 

 the under side of the abdomen ; but, in the social 

 genera, in lieu of the brush upon the posterior tibiae, 

 these, as well as the basal tarsal joint, are considerably 

 dilated, and hollowed or flattened externally, and the 

 margin fringed with hair, which thus forms a receptacle 

 called a corbiculum, or basket, for the clodded masses 

 of pollen and honey made into a paste by these social 

 insects, or for the other stores of different materials 

 that they may require in their domestic economy. 

 Having thus briefly noticed these generalities, we will 



