GENEliAL CIIARACTHUISTICS. 33 



ceases as suddenly. In a quecnli-ss liivo, tlio sound is doleful, 

 lasts longer and at times iniM-cases in force. Wlien liees swarm, 

 the tune is clear and gay, sliowing manifest happiness." — (Oilttl- 

 Klauss, 18:!G.) 



7 7. The Gorman pastor Staliala has ptiblished a very 

 complete study on the languaoc of bees, which has appeared 

 in some of the bee-papers of Italy, France and America. 

 AVe do not consider it as altogether accurate ; but there are 

 some sounds described that all bee-keepers ought to study, 

 especially the doleful wail of colonies which have lost their 

 queen, and have no means of rearing another. 



78. The Sting. — The sting of the bee, a terror to so 

 many, is indispensable to her preservation. Without it, 

 the attraction, which honey presents to man and animals, 

 must have caused the complete destruction of this precious 

 insect, j^ears ago. 



79. This organ is composed, 1st, of a whitish vesicle, or 

 poison sack, about the size of a small mustard seed, located 

 in the abdomen, in which the venomous liquid is stored. 

 This liquid is elaborated in two long canals, similar in ap- 

 pearance to the Malpighian tubes, each of which is termin- 

 ated at its upper extremity, by a small round bag or en- 

 largement. It is similar to formic acid, although perhaps 

 more poisonous. 



80. 2d, In the last ring of the abdomen, and connected 

 with the poison sack, is a firm and sharp sheath, open in its 

 whole length, which supports the sting proper, and acts in- 

 dependently of it. The bee can force this sheath out of 

 the abdomen, or draw it in, at will. 



81. 3d, The sting is composed of two spears of a pol- 

 ished, chestnut-colored, horny substance, which, supported 

 by the sheath, make a very sharp weapon. In the act of 

 stinging, the spears emerge from the sheath, about two- 

 thirds of their length. Between them and on each of them, 

 is a small groove, through which the liquid, coming from 

 the poison sack, is ejected into the wound. 



3 



