48 THE APIARY. 



severe. The sting is about the sixtl^part of an inch 

 long, and is largest at the base. Here are situated the 

 glands or ducts (Plate II., fig. 4, u). By these the poison 

 IS secreted, and passed into the poison-bag (Plate II., 

 fig. 4, /), which acts as a reservoir for retaining it till 

 required. 



On the subject of the sting, Paley remarks : — "The 

 action of the sting affords a beautiful example of the 

 union of chemistry and mechanism : of chemistry, in 

 respect to the venom, which in so small a quantity can 

 produce such powerful effects ; of mechanism, as the 

 sting is not a simple, but a compound instrument. The 

 machinery would have been comparatively useless had it 

 ■not been for the chemical process, by which, in the 

 insect's body, 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 

 the fluid." 



As before stated, the drone has no sting, but, in place 

 thereof, the organs of reproduction. And now, in con- 

 cluding this section, we would remark the wonderful 

 mechanism and finish all the works of the Great Master 

 Builder unfold. In the works of man we see, perhaps, a 

 piece of mechanism of unquestioned beauty and excel- 

 lence ; but there is a bolt here or screw there that might 

 have been dispensed with, and does not possess any defi- 

 nite use, whilst in the works of Nature everything has a 

 place ; we may not at once comprehend the exact 



