BEE MANUAL. 55 



events, much yet to be learned with regard to the tiue nature 

 of these organs. 



SENSES OF HEARING AND SMELLING. 



Closely connected with the conjectures as to the uses'of the 

 antenna are those which many naturalists have made as to 

 the organs of hearing and smelling in the honey-bee. That 

 they are possessed of a keen sense of smell, as well as of taste 

 is indisputable ; and that they are capable of hearing seems 

 very probable, though still doubtful ; but through what organ 

 these senses may be worked upon is only matter of conjecture. 

 Huber suggested that the antennae might be organs of smell 

 as well as touch ; Lehmann and Cuvier considered that the 

 spiracles used for the purposes of respiration were also the 

 means by which the sense of smell was exercised ; while 

 Kirby and Spence incline to the belief that the organ lies 

 somewhere in or near the mouth. We can only assert with 

 certainty that bees have a very keen sense of smell, that they 

 are attracted by the odour of flowers, honey, etc., and rendered 

 furious by disagreeable odours, especially by the smell of their 

 own sting-poison. As to their sense of hearing, it seems hard 

 to believe that they are unconscious of such sounds as their 

 own humming, so varied according to circumstances, or to the 

 calls so distinctly made by young queens, and which appear to 

 us to exercise such an influence on their conduct ; still it is 

 true that Sir J. Lubbock, who has tried so many experiments 

 on the hearing of bees, with musical instruments, dog whistles, 

 shrill pipes, etc., seems to have satisfied himself that no noise 

 he could make, either harmonious or discordant, was capable 

 of making any impression on them, or of disturbing them in 

 the least. 



THE WINGS. 



It has been already stated that the honey-bee, like all insects 

 of the order Hymenoptera, is provided with four membranous 

 wings, springing from the thorax, of which the foremost, or 

 primary wings, slide over and cover the hinder ones when at 

 rest. This arrangement is of importance, as enabling the bee 

 to enter without difficulty the narrow cells of the comb in order 

 to stow honey and bee-bread, to feed the larva?, etc., as well as to 



