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542 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [AUg. 



THE SCENT-PEODTJCING ORGAN OF THE HONEY BEE. 

 BY N. E. MClNDOO, PH.D. 



Introduction. 



Bee keepers well know that bees have an odor, but they do not 

 know how the odor is produced, nor do they know the role played by 

 the various odors of the honey bee. It is reported that NassonofE 

 first described the morphology of the scent-producing organ of the 

 honey bee. His original work in Russian cannot be had here, but, 

 according to Zoubareff (1883), Nassonoff did not describe the struc- 

 ture of this organ as seen by the writer, and he suggested that the 

 gland cells of the organ produce perspiration. Sladen (1902) called 

 this organ a "scent-producing organ," but did nothing more than to 

 describe the articular membrane between the fifth and sixth abdomi- 

 nal terga of worker bees. 



This paper deals entirely with the morphology of the scent- 

 producing organ. The work dealing with the odors produced by 

 this organ and the significance of these odors will be reported 

 separately. 



Fresh material was stained slightly with a weak solution of methylin 

 green, and the cells were studied while still alive. Material was 

 also fixed in Carnoy's fluid (equal parts of absolute alcohol, chloro- 

 form, and glacial acetic acid, with corrosive sublimate to excess). 

 The double method of embedding in paraffin and celloidin was 

 employed. Sections were cut 10 micra thick and they were stained 

 with Ehrlich's hamatoxylin and eosin, and with safranin and gentian 

 violet. 



1. Structure. 



Sometimes when a worker honey bee, that is fanning, is carefully 

 observed, a transverse white stripe near the end of the abdomen may 

 be seen. This white stripe (fig. 1, ArtM) is the articular membrane 

 between the fifth and sixth abdominal terga (propodeum not counted) . 

 It is visible only when the last abdominal segment is bent downward. 

 The anterior half of this membrane is folded under the posterior edge 

 of the fifth abdominal tergum, making a pouch or canal (fig. 1, Can). 

 The canal encircles about one half of the abdomen and terminates 

 on either side of the abdomen just above the articulation of the 



