414 MR. T. J. BETANT OlST THE 



If a bee be put to a large drop of honey, it will be found to 

 open slightly the whole of the organs of the tongue, and with a 

 scarcely perceptible motion suck in honey, no doubt by means of, 

 or largely assisted by, the muscular pharynx (s, figs. 3 & 4). 

 Flowers, however, do not ordinarily contain nectar in such abun- 

 dance nor in such convenient positions. The nectaries are 

 described as usually only a small spot, which, without becoming 

 more prominent, produces the nectar ; but frequently they are in 

 the form of a glandular protuberance, or project in the form of 

 cushions, or, again, as shallow excavations (Sachs' ' Text-book, 

 2nd ed. 1882, pp. 494-569). 



In order to obtain the conditions more nearly approaching those 

 in nature therefore, the honey should be presented smeared thinly 

 on a bit of glass. If this be done, the bees will clear off every trace 

 of honey, and leave the glass as clean as it was before the honey 

 was smeared on it. This is done by the bee applying the lower 

 and outer portion of the tongue to the surface of the glass, in the 

 manner shown in diagram, figs. 25 & 26. The long joints of the 

 labial palpi just touch the glass, the shorter joints being bent out- 

 wards at right angles. The tongue is then extended and retracted 

 with great regularity and some speed, and to me it appears that 

 the extension is a somewhat slower movement than the retraction. 

 When the tongue is in this position the " ladle " will be turned 

 with its concave side downwards, and that surface of the tongue 

 which is split will be upwards. The pressure on the surface of 

 the glass will move the rod to the opposite side of the tubular 

 portion of the tongue in that part of it which is being pressed 

 against the glass. This will cause the two membranes (m) to 

 form a trough, which will of course be opened on its upper sur- 

 face ; and, although I have not actually observed the fact, it seems 

 impossible to suppose that the honey does not pass into this 

 trough. As the tongue is being retracted, the rod which was 

 pressed against the inner side of the tongue will pass over to the 

 front side, and so considerably enlarge the trough made by the 

 membranes in the upper portion of the tongue, and the edges of 

 the slit in the outer wall being closely united by interlocking 

 hairs, the result will be the creation of a vacuum which will draw 

 up the honey from the lower portion of the longue. The tongue 

 is then again extended ; but now the salivary chamber is enlar- 

 ging as the tongue is protruded, and the honey is so carried up 

 still higber and into the mouth, whence it is once more drawn up 

 by the muscular pharynx. 



