50 



AUSTRALASIAN 



sacs in the case of the worker, and it will be seen at a glance 

 that they take the places of the smaller air sacs a, and of the 

 ovary b, in the case of the queen (Fig. 11). 



Fig. 11, 



■ AIR SACS AND OVARIES 

 OF QUEEN. 



Fig, 



12.— AIR SACS OF THE 

 WORKER. 



a. Air sack ; b. Ovary. 



Every person accustomed to bees must frequently have 

 observed that some of the workers, when returning from the 

 field, remain for some time on the alighting-board before 

 entering the hive, and that during that time the rings of the 

 abdomen are in constant motion. These bees are simply 

 breathing themselves after a long and tiresome flight. Mr. 

 Cheshire remarks : — 



" The constant elongation and contraction of the abdomen of the 

 bee's body has for its object the ejection of air which has become car- 

 bonised and the drawing in of fresh supplies. The spiracles admit of 

 being closed voluntarily. When the bee is in flight with the air sacs 

 filled, if the spiracle be closed and the abdomen contracted, the fasces 

 are extruded. This explains why bees never soil their hives, except 



