ORGANS OF THE DRONE. 201 



that these active threads are, really, the instruments 

 of impregnation, and have to be transferred to the 

 female.) As they lie, by tens of thousands, in parallel 

 lines, undulating rhythmically through their whole 

 length, they have, under the microscope, a most extra- 

 ordinary appearance, which has been likened to a field 

 of barley oscillating under a gentle breeze. When the 

 drone quits the cell, the testes are still very large, 

 and extremely active, and but few spermatozoa have 

 been transferred to that part of the body from which 

 they can be discharged, so that the drone is not 

 at this time, nor is he for several subsequent days, 

 fully fit to accomplish the purpose of his existence 

 But the virile threads, maturing rapidly, keep passing 

 from the testes to the vesicular seminales, which 

 become now completely charged with them. It is 

 by opening the vesiculse at this stage that spermatozoa 

 are obtained in the best condition for the microscope. 

 They are such wondrous objects that I will explain 

 a method I have pursued most successfully in mount- 

 ing them. Secure a drone (not newly-hatched), as he 

 is perambulating the combs, open the body, remove 

 the vesicula, break one end, and, with the forceps, 

 apply, for a moment, the ruptured part to the sur- 

 face of some glass covers upon which a small 

 quantity of water has been placed (one vesicula will 

 give a supply for a dozen slides) ; leave to dry, 

 keeping from dust; warm in the flame of a spirit 

 lamp to set the albumen, pour on each three or 

 four drops of watery solution of Spiller's purple, and, 

 after five minutes, wash, dry, and mount in Canada 

 balsam. For critical examination with high powers, 



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