THE HIVE BEE. 



375 



the common Hive Bee (Apis mellijicd). The three sexes are 

 shown at Figs. 1, 2, and 3. Fig. 1 represents jhe pe rfect 

 female, or ' queen,' of which there are very few in one 

 community, and only one that is active. Fig. 2 is the male or 

 ' drone ' Bee, of which a considerable number exist for a 

 limited period, and Fig. 3 is the worker, of whicli the popula- 

 lion of the community is chieBy composed. 



1. Apis mellifica, female. 2. Do., male. 3. Do., neuter. a. Antenna, female. 



b. Hind leg, male. c. Tongue of male. d. Antenna, male. e. Mandible, male. 



/. Hind leg, neuter. g. Hind leg, female. h. Sting and venom glands. 



In this genus the eyes of the male are very large, meeting 

 on the crown, as may be seen at Fig. 2, and the tibiae of the 

 hind legs are slender at the base, gradually widening to the 

 end, as shown at Fig. h. The eyes of the female and worker 

 are comparatively small and unhairy. The workers have the 

 basal joint of the tarsi of the hind legs concave, and covered 

 with transverse hairy ridges, as shown at Fig. /. That of the 



