24 PHYSIOLOGY OF THE HONEY-BEE. 
58. “But the chief interest centers on the two joints last men- 
tioned (ti, p, A. B., Plate IV), asa device for carrying the pollen of 
the blossom home to the hive. The metatarsus is enlarged into 
a sub-quadrangular form, constituting a flattish plate, slightly con- 
vex on both surfaces. The outer face (p, A, Plate IV) isnot remark- 
able, but the one next the body (», B) is furnished with stiff 
combs, the teeth of which are horny, straight spines, set closely, 
and arrangéd in transverse rows across the joint, a little projecting 
above its plane, and the tips of one comb slightly overlapping 
the basis of the next. Their colour is reddish-brown; and en- 
tangled in the combs, we almost invariably discover pollen gran- 
ules, which have been at first picked up by the thoracic hairs, 
but combed out by the constant play of the legs over the breast — 
in which work, the second pair, bearing a strong resemblance to 
the third, performs an important part.” 
59. ‘‘Sosoon as the bees have loaded these combs, they do 
not return to the hive, but transfer the pollen to the hollow sides 
of the tibia, seen at zi, A. This concavity, corbicula, or pollen 
basket. is smooth and hairless, except at the edges, whence spring 
long, slender, curved spines, two sets following the line of the 
bottom and sides of the basket, while a third bends over its front. 
The concavity fits it to contain pollen, while the marginal hairs 
greatly increase its possible load, like the sloping stakes which 
the farmer places round the sides of his waggon when he desires 
to carry loose hay, the set bent over (see G, Plate IV) accomplish- 
ing the purpose of the cords by which he saves his property from 
being lost on the road. But a difficulty arises: How can the pol- 
len be transferred from the metatarsal comb to the basket above? 
Easily ; for it is the left metatarsus that charges the right basket, 
and vice versa. ‘The legs are crossed, ind the metatarsus naturally 
scrapes its comb-face on the upper edge of the opposite tibia, in 
the directior from the base of the combs towards their tips. 
These upper hairs standing over wp, B, or close to ¢i, A (which are 
opposite sides of the same joint), are nearly straight, and pass 
between the comb teeth. The pollen, as removed, is caught by 
the bent-over hairs, and secured. Each scrap adds to the mass, 
until the face of the joint is more than covered, and the hairs just 
embrace the pellet as we see it in the cross-section atG@. The 
worker now hies homewards, and the spine, as a crow-bar, does 
its work.’’—(Cheshire.) 
60. The four wings, in two pairs, are supported by hol- 
