Miss Apis's Tongue. zi 



sheaths are larger and stronger than the 

 sheaths of the honey-bee. Indeed, they 

 make quite a strong little dagger with 

 which Madam Bombus, the bumble-bee, can 

 cut a hole in a flower. 



When Madam Bombus finds a flower with 

 sweets which she cannot reach without 

 taking too much trouble, she goes to the 

 spot beneath which the sweet she wants is 

 concealed, and, with a downward blow of her 

 convenient dagger, rips open the interven- 

 ing membrane. Then she unfurls her flag in 

 triumph. In this case her flag is her tongue, 

 you understand. She inserts it in the hole 

 she has made and licks out the sweet juice. 



After she is gone, comes the turn of Miss 

 Apis, who puts her tongue through the hole 

 that her larger and stronger friend has made, 

 and takes her share also. 



Since the nectaries of the flowers usually 

 fill up as soon as the bees have licked them 

 out, Miss Apis may get as much honey as 

 though Madam Bombus had not taken any. 



