TOITGTJE OF THE HOjSTET-BEE. 411 



each side of the rod by means of very tliin expansions of mem- 

 brane {m, fig. 10), one side of which is covered by hairs; the hairs at 

 the anterior end are very short and are seated on irregular papillae 

 (fig. 18), whilst those at the posterior end arise from regular pointed 

 papillae and are somewhat longer (fig. 16, from above, fig. 17, from 

 the side). The existence of this membrane may be easily demon- 

 strated if the entire head of a recently killed bee with the tongue 

 extended be placed in an ordinary live-box and be subjected to 

 pressure. The rod, which is naturally curved, being pressed in 

 the middle and being supported at both ends, is forced out of its 

 place, and brings with it the membrane in question. Professor 

 A. J. Cook, of Michigan, appears to think that the bee when feed- 

 ing brings the rod to the outside and so increases the internal 

 dimensions of the tongue by adding that of the second chamber 

 formed by the membrane ; and this opinion is shared by Mr. J. 

 Spalding (Amer. Nat. Feb. 1881, p. 113), both authors giving 

 illustrations in explanation. After many observations of bees 

 when feeding, some made with the microscope, I cannot agree 

 with this view ; certainly it is not their invariable way of feeding, 

 and, in fact, I have never seen any bee feed in this way. 



The hairs covering the surface of the tongue are long and finely 

 pointed, vsdth flattened bases, and are arranged in regular whorls 

 (fig. 15). The hairs near the base of the tongue are much 

 shorter and broader, and are sometimes split into two or three 

 points. Interspersed among these hairs are a number of bristles 

 which occur on every fifth whorl. These bristles are similar in 

 character with those found on the edge of the maxillae, on the end 

 joints of the palpi, and on the extremity of the tubular portion 

 of the tongue itself. They all follow one type, viz. that of a 

 bristle arising from the summit of a papilla. I am inclined to 

 consider that they are touch-organs, and nothing more. It must 

 be borne in mind that, covered with a hard skin, as all insects 

 are, their nerves can hardly be susceptible to external influences 

 to any great extent. These soft parts in their harness supply 

 this deficiency. Then, it may be urged, why not consider those 

 on the tongue as organs of taste ? The answer is, that on 

 two occasions, when desirous of making bees feed on coloured 

 honey (one bee being under chloroform, and the other torpid 

 through cold), no motion was produced in the tongue when honey 

 was brought in contact with it. I do not presume to say the 

 bee did not taste it, but it made no outward and visible sign that 



LINN, JOUBF. — ZOOLOGY, VOL. XVII, 31 



