STING. 



is secreted. These glands, comnninicating by a common duct with 

 the groove formed by the junction of the lower parts of the barbed 

 sting, send the venomous liquid through that groove into the 

 ■wound. On each dart there are four barbs. When the insect 

 intends to sting, one of these piercers having its point a little 

 longer, or more in advance tlian the others, is first darted into the 

 flesh, and being fixed there by its barb, the other strikes in also ; 

 and they alternately penetrate deeper and deeper, tiU they acquire 

 a fitnn hold of the flesh with the barbed hooks, and then follows 

 the sheath, enclosing and conveying the poison into the wound. 

 The action of the sting thus, as Paley observed, affords an example 

 of the union of chemical and mechanical principles : of chemistry, 

 in respect to the venom ; and of mechanism, in the motion into 

 the flesh. The machinery would have been comparatively useless, 

 had it not been for the chemical process by which in the body of 

 the insect honey is converted into poison ; and, on the other hand, 

 the poison would have been ineffectual without an instrument to 

 wound, and a syringe to inject it. 



In consequence of the barbed form of the sting, and the strong 

 hold it tates on the flesh, the bee can seldom withdraw it, and ia 

 detaching herself from the part stung she generally leaves behind 

 her not only the sting itself, but the venom-bag and a part of her 

 intestines. Swammerdam mentions a case in which even the 

 stomach of the insect was torn from the abdomen in detaching 

 herself, so that in most cases her life is the sacrifice for the grati- 

 fication of her vengeance. 



Although the bee, except in certain cases to be mentioned 

 hereafter, uses its sting only in defence, or for vengeance, when 

 molested, it is sometimes found that it manifests an antipathy to 

 particular individuals, whom it attacks and wounds without pro- 

 vocation. 



33. The organs of fecundation and reproduction are also con- 

 tained in the abdomen. Those of the drone are represented on a 

 magnified scale in fig. 15. They correspond in their functions to 

 those of the superior animals. 



Fig. 15. — Apparatus of fecundation of tlie drone. 



The organs of reproduction of the queen, which are objects of 

 considerable interest, are shown on a magnified scale in fig. 16. 



15 



