A. — ^Hinder Leg 

 Bee magnified 

 from outside, i 

 hollow to contain jpollen. 



B. — Inside of last joints of 

 ditto, showing the brush- 

 like stmcture. 



discover it to be composed of six pieces : the first, and that 

 which joins the creature's body, round, like a little ball ; the 

 second more egg-shaped; the third long, and tapering to the 

 fourth, which, beginning slight, becomes 

 thick and stout where it joins xhe fifth 

 division, which is the stoutest part of 

 all, of the same substance throughout» 

 and terminated by a slender finger-like 

 member topped by four claws, which 

 branch from a shallow cup-like organ 

 fringed with hairs. The cup-like appa- 

 ratus enables the bee to move along 

 upright and overhanging surfaces, as 

 the fly does, and the claws are of 

 great utility in the adjustment of such 

 ouuaing-material, &c., as it may be 

 engaged upon. The fourth and fifth 

 joints of the bee's hind leg are so 

 arranged that a hollow exists between, 

 and it is in this hollow that the busy insect stores the " bee- 

 bread " as it gathers it from the flowers. 



The wings of the insect under consideration are not the least 

 curious part of its curious structure. They are four in number, 

 and of a tough membranous texture. Considering the con- 

 siderable weights the tiny honey-makers have to cany, it is 

 essential that these organs should present to the atmosphere as 

 broad a resisting power as possible. Wlien unladen, and at its 

 ease, the possession of a very broad pair of wings would be but 

 a burden to the creature ; and even when she was busy indoors 

 plastering or comb-building, two broad wings, however neatly 

 tucked away, might be found cumbrous. Bountiful Nature has, 

 however, .met the difficulty in a manner beautiful as it is simple : 

 on the front edge of the hinder wing are attached a row of tiny 

 hooks, and along the opposite edge of the anterior wing there is 

 a ridge ; so that when the insect wishes to spread more sail, as 

 it were, it is merely a matter of hitching the hooks to the 

 ridge, and there are the broad buoyant wings complete. 



Nor is this the only purpose to which this wing-spliciug is 

 made to apply. With so much business constantly bemg per- 

 formed within the hive, with hundreds of little workers labour- 

 ing as hard as blacksmiths at «, forge or bricklayers at a wall, 

 3onsiderable heat is generated. It is not uncommon for us to 

 hear of a dozen wretched tailors or seamstresses sweating in 

 46 ^ 



