The First Papkn-Makku 



175 



On top yim M-t- tin- back |n)rtit)n ol tin. front 

 wiiiLl, with a ciirvtd Liroovt- 011 it> iiiiici- celiac, 

 liclow, you L^it tlic iVoiit portion ot tlic liiiidcr 

 \vi11j4, with a scries ot httlc hooks, microscopic, 

 yet cNcjiiisitcly moulded, which catch into the 

 groove on the opposite portion. When tlm^ 

 hooked toj^ether, the two wiiil'.-> on the rij^ht act 

 exactly like one. So do the two 

 on the lett. lint they can be un- 

 hooked and folded back on the 

 body at the will of the instct 

 To either side of No. 13 von will 

 notice sections of the two win^s, 

 which will help you to under- 

 stand the nature of the mechan- 

 ism. On the rij^ht, the wiiii^s are 

 seen hooked together ; on the left, 

 they are cauj^ht just in the act 

 of unhooking. 



Last (>f all, and most important 

 of all to ordinary humanity, we 

 come to the stinj^, with its append- 

 aj4e the poison-baj^. It is well 

 represented in Xo. 14. The main 

 object of the stinj^, and its ori- 

 ginal function by descent, is that of layinj^ ej.Jj4s ; 

 it is merely the ovipositor. Hut besides the ^rcxoved 

 sheath or ej^j^-layer (marked .S in the illustration) 

 and the two very sharp lances or darts (marked I)) 

 which pierce the llesh of the enemy, it is provided 

 with a inland which secretes that most unpleasant 

 body, formic acid ; and when tin- wasp ha^ cause 



Nil. 14. I'dlhoN HAt;, 

 SHEATH, DARIS, 

 AM) lAl ri. 



