The Legs 71 



bees' legs are gifted organs, blessed with a versatility other- 

 wise unknown in the realm of legs. 



The bee has six of them, as is the habit among insects, 

 three on either side of the thorax and attached to it. 



Each leg consists of ten joints ; a small compact joint 

 (1) next the body, called by naturalists the coxa. This is 

 much alike in all the legs, and 

 serves the useful purpose of at- 

 taching the remainder of the leg 

 to the body by a highly movable 

 joint. 



Next comes another short joint 

 (2), the trochanter, which serves 

 chiefly to give to the leg freedom 

 of motion. 



The third joint (3), or femur, is 

 long and rigid ; and these three joints are densely clothed 

 with long-branched hairs that have an important office. 



The fourth joint (4), or tibia, is long and more or less 

 covered with hairs. It is remarkably modified in the 

 different pairs of legs, and is as interesting as anything we 

 have yet seen about this very interesting insect. 



The fifth joint (5), or metatarsus, is also long and 

 curious. 



The remaining five joints are short and triangular, fitting 

 together so as to give them great flexibility in moving. 

 They are sometimes called the " foot," and the last joint 

 of these consists of the "toes" or " hooks." 



The legs gain much freedom of motion from the nu- 

 merous joints, while the design of the different divisions 

 allows them to be folded up close to the body when not 

 needed. 



As organs of walking and running, the legs are efficient 

 enough for the purpose of the bee, who travels only short 



