30 The Bee People. 



But now she has licked the morning-glory 

 dry and — but what has she done with her 

 tongue ? 



It was almost as long as her body a 

 moment ago, and now it is gone. 



Miss Apis, what have you done with 

 your tongue? 



I4^here is your tongiLe, Miss Apis? 



MISS APIS, MISS APIS! YOUR TONGUE, 

 MISS APIS? 



But she only looks at us out of her 

 twelve thousand six hundred large eyes and 

 her three small eyes, and says not a word. 



Her tongue is all right, and she knows 

 how to hold it. 



There, she is going to speak! Buzz — 

 b-u-z-z-zz. No, that is her wing music; 

 her tongue is still silent. Off she goes and 

 leaves us in despair concerning it. Now 

 she has deposited herself in another flower 

 — and sure enough — yes — there is that 

 1-o-n-g, b-r-o-w-n tongue wriggling around 

 in the nectar cup. 



