148 THB bkb-kbbpbr's guide ; 



to follow them closely. Here the rate doubtless depends upon 

 the queen. 



The leg^s of worker-bees are very strangely modified. As 

 they are exceedingly useful in the bee economy, this is not 

 strange. We find in the progressive development of all ani- 

 mals, that such organs as are most used are most modified, and 

 thus we see why the legs and mouth organs of the worker-bees 

 are so wonderfully developed. 



The abundant compound hairs on the first joints of all the 

 legs are very marked in the worker-bees. These are the pol- 

 len-gathering hairs, and from their branching, fluffy nature 

 are well suited to gather the pollen-grains. 



On the anterior legs the antenna cleaner (Fig. 66) is well 

 marked, as it is in all Hymenoptera except the lowest families 

 where it is nearly or quite absent. In the honey-bee, this is 

 found in the queen and drone as well as in the worker. It is 

 situated at the base of the first tarsus, and consists of a nearly 

 semi-cylindrical concavity (Fig. 66, c), armed on the outer side 

 with from seventy-eight to ninety projecting hairs. These 

 teeth-like hairs projecting as fringe form a very delicate 

 brush. Extending from the tibia is a blade-like organ — really 



Fig. 66. 



Antenna-Cleaner of Worker-Bee. — Original. 

 C Cavity. S Spur. 



the modified tibial spur (Fig. 66, S) — which when the leg is 

 bent at this joint, comes squarely over the notch in the tarsus. 

 Near the base on the inside a projecting knob is seen which 

 perhaps acts as a strengthener. The part of this blade or spur 



