114 THE HONEY-BEE. 



But there is a further benefit thus conferred on the 

 insect. During hot weather, and when the population 

 is very dense, ventilation is constantly and vigorously 

 carried on by the workers, who, fixing themselves 

 firmly by their claws to the floor-board at the entrance, 

 some outside and some just within their homes, direct 

 numerous currents of air into the hive. Of course 

 there must issue a quantity corresponding to what 

 is driven in, and thus a perpetual and free circulation 

 is kept up. Now, if the wings worked independently, 

 not only would a smaller quantity of air be affected 

 by each stroke, but the two sets of motions would, to 

 some extent, counteract each other. As it is, the 

 hooked wings act like well-constructed and well-used 

 fans. By the simple experiment of slitting such an 

 implement down the middle, the comparative ad- 

 vantages of a broken and an unbroken surface, for 

 fanning purposes, can easily be put to the proof 



Thus, again, we are struck with the fact that the 

 more closely we examine the organs of any segment 

 of the body of the insect, the more reason do we find 

 to admire the skill, and the care for His creatures, 

 manifested by the infinitely wise and the infinitely 

 good Maker of them all. Beauty, adaptation, per- 

 fection, are the words which are continually suggested 

 to our minds by the contemplation of the structure 

 of the bee. 



