124 



THE bbs-kbepbr's gdide ; 



testes are larger in the pupa than in the imago, for even then 

 the spermatozoa have begun to descend to the versiculje semi- 

 nales (Fig. 37, c, c). Thus, in old drones, the testes have 

 shrunken. The spermatozoa are very long, with a marked 

 head (Fig. SO), which, as Mr. Cowan remarked to me, look 

 like cat-tail flags, as there is a short, small projection beyond 

 the head. These sperm-cells are so very small, and so long 

 and slender, that it is difficult to isolate or trace them ; hence, 

 in microscopic preparations they look like one hopeless tangle 

 (Fig. SO). It is incomprehensible how they can be separated 



Fig. so. 



Spermatozoa . — Original. 



and passed, one, two, or more at a time, by the queen as the 

 eggs are to be impregnated. Appended to the versiculse semi- 

 nales (Fig. 37, c,c) just where they pass to the ejaculatory duct 

 are two large glandular sacs (Fig. 37, d), which add mucus to 

 the seminal fluid. The ejaculatory duct (Fig. 37, e) is rather 

 long and very muscular. This passes to a pouch (Fig. 37,/), 

 where the sperm-cells are massed, preparatory to coition. 

 Leuckart called this mass of spermatozoa the spermatophore. 

 This is what is passed to the spermatheca of the queen during 

 coition. Below this is the organ proper. It has, as may be 

 seen by pressing a drone, three pairs of appendages, somewhat 

 horn-like, and certain roughness or pleats (Fig. 37, h, i), which 

 serve to make connection more close during coition. These 

 little barb-like teeth, rough projections and horns, as they are 



