NATURAL HISTORY OF THE HONBY BHB, 61 



large cells in which to deposit their eggs, and resort to small 

 ones only when unable to find those of greater diameter. 

 In one hive, in my Apiary, which contained a fertile worker, 

 there was only a small piece of drone comb, and this was 

 entirely filled with eggs, some of the cells containing three 

 or four ! Such workers are seldom tolerated in hives con- 

 taining a fertile, healthy Queen, though instances of this 

 kind have been known to occur. 



The worker is much smaller than either the Queen or the 

 drone.* She is furnished with a tongue or proboscis, of the 

 most curious and complicated structure, which, when not in 

 use, is nicely folded up under her body ; with this, she licks 

 or brushes up the honey, which is thence conveyed to the 

 honeg-bag. This receptacle is not larger than a very small 

 pea, and so perfectly transparent, as to appear, when filled, 

 of the same color with its contents ; it is properly the first 

 stomach, and is surrounded by muscles which enable the 

 bee to compress it, and empty its contents through her pro- 

 boscis into the cells. 



The hinder legs of the worker are furnished with a spoon- 

 shaped hollow, or basket, to receive the pollen or bee bread 

 ■which she gathers from the flowers. 



Every worker is armed with a formidable sting, and when 

 provoked, makes instant and effectual use of her natural 

 weapon. When subjected to a microscopic examination, it 

 exhibits a very curious and complicated mechanism. " It is 

 movedt by muscles which, though invisible to the eye, are yet 

 strong enough to force the sting, to the depth of one-twelfth 

 of an inch, through the thick skin of a man's hand. At its 



» This work being intended chiefly for practical purposes, I have 

 thought best to use, as little as possible, the technical terms and minute 

 anatomical descriptions of the .scientific entomologist. 



t Be van. 



6 



