168 THE LORE OF THE HONEY-BEE 
with the flower-juices automatically, and the first 
step in the change of the nectar into honey takes 
place. The third gland is in the roof of the mouth, 
and it is the secretion from this gland which acts 
on the regurgitated chyle, and changes it into 
brood-food. The fourth gland is double. These 
twin-glands have their openings at the base of the 
jaws, and the action of chewing is nécessary to 
excite their secretion. 
The valve between the upper, or honey-stomach, 
and the lower, or chyle-stomach, has an extensible 
neck, and the bee can, at will, raise this telescopic 
piece through the interior of the honey-sac until 
the valve is pressed against the opening into the 
gullet. Thus the contents of the lower stomach 
can be driven into the mouth without coming into 
contact with the stored sweets in the reservoir, 
and this pre-digested matter is always ready at an 
instant’s notice for the use of the larve, or for the 
nourishment of drones or queen. 
It has been said that the nursery-work of the 
hive is undertaken exclusively by the young bees 
during the first fortnight or so of their lives. After 
this time they make their first foraging expedition, 
beginning with pollen-gathering, and relinquishing 
this in turn for the collection of nectar when they 
have arrived at full maturity. The mature workers 
take no part in the feeding of the larvee, except on 
very rare emergencies. In relation to this, it isa 
curious fact that the gland in the roof of the mouth, 
