BRUSH AND COMB OF THE HYMEN OPTERA. 367 



they contain as to render locomotion a task of difficulty, if not to make it 

 iitterly impossible. The workers (No. 1) provide them with a constant sup- 

 ply of flowers and pollen, which by a processanalogousto that of the bee, they 

 convert into honey. The fact that the remainder of the inhabitants feed on 

 the supply thus obtained, though it is surmised, has not been established by 

 actual observation ; indeed, with reference to many of the habits of these 

 creatures, we are at present left in total ignorance, it being a reasonable 

 supposition that, in insects so remarkable in many of their habits, other 

 interesting facts are yet to be brought fo light respecting them. It would 

 be of great value to learn the specific rank of the black workers (No. 3), and 

 to know the sexes of the species forming the community, their season and 

 manner of pairing, and whether the honey-makers are themselves used as 

 food, or if they excrete their saccharine fluid for the benefit of the inhabit- 

 ants in general, and then proceed to distil more. The honey is much sought 

 after by the Mexicans, who not only use it as a delicate article of food, but 

 apply it to bruised and swollen limbs, ascribing to it great healing proper- 

 ties. The species is said to be very abundant in the neighborhood of Santa 

 Pe, N. M., in which district the observations of Captain Fleeson were made 

 — Henry Edwards in London Journal of Applied Science. 



THE BRUSH AND COMB OF THE HYMENOPTERA. 



Eees have always been noted for cleanliness of person. It appears to be 

 necessary for them to take particular care in this respect of their antennje. 

 Any one who has observed bees and wasps, must have noticed how much 

 time they spend in cleaning these mysterious organs ; and, perhaps, will 

 remember the singular, almost human-like motions — the careful, dexterous 

 strokes in one direction, with which the work is done. One of the fore legs 

 is thrown over the antenna of the same side of the head; the antenna is 

 caught at a certain point of the leg, which at the proper instant is here 

 slightly bent for the purpose; and then, with an outward and downward 

 sweep, the antenna is drawn from its base towards its tip through this bend. 



A little attention shows why the antenna is caught at a certain bend of 

 the leg. There is a special apparatus at that particular spot, admirably 

 adapted for the purpose. At the junction of the tibia and the tarsus is the 

 apparatus mentioned. It comprises — first, a specialized spine, hinged, 

 movable, brush-like, and projecting from the inner side of the leg; second, 

 a deeply-cut, semi-circular notch, in the upper part of the first tarsal joint,, 

 fringed with a row of closely set teeth, like a curved comb. When the 

 leg is bent towards the body at this point, the comb is accurately opposed 

 to the brush, leaving a circular opening, through which the antenna is 

 drawn, and neatly cleansed at every part of its circumference. 



This developed spine is mentioned as a brush, because of its graceful,. 



