PRACTICUMS. 
1. Opservinc Bers AnD THEIR Worx.—For this purpose use fresh- 
ly killed specimens, or specimens from alcohol, or pinned specimens. 
(a) Study the number and arrangement of wings. Make a 
drawing of each wing. Study the number and structure of the legs. 
Draw one of each, showing the differences. (b) Note the an- 
tenne cleaner and wax pliers in the front pair. Note the pollen 
baskets in the hind pair. If a drone and queen can be obtained, 
note if they each have these features of leg structure. What is 
the function of the hairs on the legs? Examine these under a mi- 
croscope. (c) Study the eyes under a hand lens and under a 
low-power compound microscope. Draw them, enlarged Describe 
them. Are there any single eyes or ocelli? Draw them. Where? 
Show in drawing. (d) Length of antenne. How many parts 
or joints? Where attached? Make enlarged drawings. (Always 
enlarge drawings to a certain definite scale, and state the scale 
of enlargement.) (e¢) Examine, then describe, the mouth parts. 
Are there any sharp teeth on the maxille or jaws? Is there any 
sharp point in connection with the proboscis? Note that there are 
no structures in the bee’s mouth by which it can cut open or punc- 
ture fruits. Examine the proboscis or tongue under a microscope 
and draw the same. If a live bee can be obtained, feed it honey or 
syrup, or moistened sugar, and see how it feeds. (f) Note the 
hairs on the thorax. Are any foreign particles to be found upon 
them? Scrape or brush the legs and thorax over a glass slide 
and examine the dust with a microscope. Are the particles regu- 
lar (uniform) in shape or size? If any bee can be found with 
material in the pollen baskets of its legs, examine this material un- 
der a microscope. If at a time of year when the bees are col- 
lecting pollen or visiting flowers, be sure to collect some of them 
that are covered with dust and examine the dust. Collect some of 
the flowers they are visiting and examine their parts, and espe- 
cially the flower dust or pollen. What was the material the bees were 
carrying? Bring out the point that the pollen is an essential fer- 
tilizing or fructifying element of the flower, and that it is essential 
for this to be carried to another flower or another plant. This is 
called cross-fertilization. Stronger plants arise through this cross- 
ing; also new strains, races, or varieties originate as the product 
of such crossing. (g) What is the fundamental function or pur- 
pose of the bee in nature? If possible kill and cut or break open 
a bee that has been for some time at the flowers. Note the clear 
drop in the sac in the abdomen. What is this? Discuss the 
source of nectar and how it is carried with the bees. Kill, and ex- 
amine the contents of the honey sac of a bee that has just come to 
the flowers and note its size compared with the former. What is 
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