PERSONALITY OF THE HONEY-BEE 9 



what we see is the most industrious of all living 

 things, the honey-bee. 



The anatomy of the bee has been often de- 

 scribed, and I shall here give only a brief outline 

 of its structure and the organs with which Nature 

 has endowed it — organs which raise it very high 

 in the scale of sentient creatures, and enable 

 it to perform functions and construct works 

 unlike those of any other creature. 



Its head is somewhat wide, and on each side 

 are the large compound eyes with which most 

 perfect insects are provided, the antennae, or 

 feelers, which are usually regarded as tactile and 

 auditory organs, sticking out just in front of them. 

 A pair of strong jaws and a flattened tongue with 

 a set of supplementary eyes called ocelli complete 

 the chief organs of the head. 



The thorax, or chest, is very strong and muscular, 

 and supports the pointed wings and three pairs 

 of legs. These legs are remarkable for the 

 wonderful contrivances they are fitted with 

 — contrivances without which the gathering of 

 pollen, the manipulation of wax, and, indeed, the 

 very habit of clustering, would be impossible. 

 The first of these contrivances that deserves 

 notice are the hooks with which each foot is 

 provided and by means of which the insects are 

 able to cling to each other. When comb-building 

 is going on bees may be seen hanging in festoons 

 by means of these hooks and manipulating the wax. 



