The Defeription, or Anatomy of the Bee, &g 
This penetrating inftrument is diftinguifhed, and coms 
monly known by the name of the fting, by which thefe 
infects defend themfelves again{t men and beafts, and of- 
fend their enemies. 
Itis of.an horny confiftence, and hollow like a tube, 
near the extremity of whichis an orifice, thro’ which the 
infect emits two darts, flrong and pungent, tho’ inex- 
preflibly fine. 
But to give the reader a fuller defcription of fo cufi- 
ous an inftrument, | readily accept the afliftance of thofe 
gentlemen who have, by the help of the microfcope,. 
moft ftritly examined it. 
‘© It thus appears to confift of three parts, wz. a 
S¢ fheath or fcabbard, with two bearded darts, of an un- 
s¢ equal length, which rifing obliquely, make the wound 
“¢ the more painful, prevent the return, and render the 
“¢ extraction the more difficult and troublefome. ‘The 
‘ fheath terminates in a fharp point, and near the ex- 
«s tremity a paflage opens, thro’ which, at the time of 
*¢ ftinging, the two bearded darts are protruded beyond 
“© the end of the fheath; one of which being longer than 
‘¢ the other, fixes it’s beard firft, and the other inftant- 
“ly following, they alternately ftrike deeper and deeper 
‘© into the wound, by their hooks taking fafter hold of 
s¢ the flefh when a poifonous juice is injected thro’ the 
-« fame (fpicula) or fheath, from a little bag at the root 
<¢ of the fting, which for a time -occafions an acute pain~ 
<< ful fwelling.” 
Mr. Derbam * tells us, that in the fting of a wafp he 
counted no lefs than eight beards on the fide of each 
* Derbam’s Phy, Theo. p, 241+ D ; dart, 
