92 



MANUAL or THE APIARY. 



connects the slitted margins of the rod with those of the 

 sheath. This with the sheath forms a sack which may be 

 distended (Fig. 20, B) with nectar, as it has connection with 

 the tube of the mentum, though it is closed anteriorly. The 

 tubular rod connects with the sack and with the tube of the 

 mentum at the base of the ligula. 



While the bee is sipping liquid food, the tongue alternately 

 pushes out and draws back for a short distance, which motion 

 is effected by muscles at its base. This may be analogous to 

 swallowing.' When not in use the tongue is partially drawn 

 into the mentum, and with the labial palpi and maxillae is 

 bent under the head. 



When bees can get at nectar in quantity, they suck it 

 through the extemporized tubes formed by appromimating 

 the maxillae and labial palpi. Deep down in flowers they 

 only sip through the funnel and tubular rod. When a liquid 

 is spread out thin, I think they lap or wipe it up, when it 

 passes through the slit into the tubular rod, and thence to 

 the pharynx. 



The jaws (Fig. 21, c) are very strong, without the rudiment- 

 ary tooth, while the cutting edge is semi-conical, so that when 



Fig. 21. 



a— Jaw of drone. 



b— Jaw of queeD. c— Jaw of worker. 



the jaws are closed they form an imperfect cone. Thus these 

 are well formed to cut comb, knead wax, and perform their 

 various functions. Their eyes (Fig, 5) are like those of the 

 queen, while their wings, like those of the drones, attain the 

 end of the body. These organs (Fig. 3), as in all insects with 

 rapid flight, are slim and strong, and, by their more or less 

 rapid vibrations, give the variety of tone which characterizes 

 their hum. Thus we have the rapid movements and high 

 pitch of anger, and the slow motion and mellow note of con- 

 tent and joy. 



