The Bee's Tongue 



25 



A' to A'^, the outer and inner sheaths retaining their relative 

 positions to each other. 



But the parallelogram X^AKS is capable of a similar 

 change of relative position, as P'ig. VI. shows, thus lowering 

 the inner sheath and with it the tongue below 

 the point of the outer sheath, and extending 

 the proboscis to its greatest length beyond the 

 jaws. 



This really simple and very effective ap- 

 paratus is worked by an arrangement of mus- 

 cles reaching from it to the head, and as 

 simple and ingenious as the framework itself, 

 when the work they accomplish is considered. 

 When not in use the proboscis is doubled 

 back at the joints marked on Figs. I., IL, 

 and III., and at 0,0, on IV., V., VI., and VII. 

 The tongue of the bee is a hairy organ, a 



fortunate circumstance when the very imper- 

 fect tube of its proboscis is considered. The 

 hairs are arranged in rings around the tongue, 

 the longest ones being towards 

 the centre, and no doubt act as 

 efficient aids in lifting the nectar 

 through the proboscis to the 

 mouth when there is an abund- 

 ance of nectar within easy reach. 

 The tongue in such cases licks 

 up the nectar, and one can readily watch a 

 bee gorge itself on a drop of honey, the 

 parts of the proboscis quite widely separated, 

 the active tongue licking in and out, and a band of honey, 

 so to speak, extending from the drop almost to the mouth 

 opening. The greedy little creature is fairly shovelling in 

 the unaccustomed abundance. 



VII. 



