208 INCONSISTENCY OF HUBER. 



corroboration of the truth of the foregoing remark, we 

 have only to compare the statement of Huber in regard 

 to the stinging of the queen bee when she has to sting one 

 of her own kind, and when she has to sting any other 

 object. In the former case, she can extract her sting with the 

 greatest facility, in fact, there is not the slightest risk attend- 

 ing the infliction of it ; but then we are subsequently told, 

 that if the queen attempts to sting the cocoon, the silken 

 covering of which is of a gossamer texture, the sting on 

 account of the barbs would be retained, and the death of 

 the queen be the consequence. Thus, according to Huber, 

 there is no risk of the queen stinging through the abdo- 

 minal rings of the embryo queen, which are of a hard, 

 horny, and almost impenetrable nature; but that there is 

 a positive risk in her stinging through the slight, flimsy 

 silken covering of the cocoon Consistently, however, with 

 the system of Mr. Huber, it is actually necessary, in order 

 that the young queen may destroy her rivals, that the last 

 rings of the body shall remain uncovered, and, therefore, it 

 is ordained that the royal nymphs shall form only imperfect 

 cocoons. It must, however, be particularly observed, as an- 

 other proof of the consistency and verity of Mr. Huber, that 

 the last rings alone should be exposed; for the sting cannot 

 penetrate any other part, the head and thorax being protected 

 by shelly plates, which it cannot pierce. And let us now 

 inquire how are the abdominal parts of the bee protected ? 

 by five hard shelly plates or laminae, overlapping each 

 other, and which are as proof against the sting, as any other 

 part of the body. Mr. Huber, however, now plays the 



the charge, of having been both led and misled by the authorities which he 

 has quoted, and it is certainly impossible for any one, in the least conversant 

 with the Natural History of the Bee, on perusing the account of the Hive 

 Bee in the Insect Architecture, not to arrive at the same conclusion with 

 the reverend reviewer, that Mr. Rennie has allowed himself not only to 

 be servilely led by Huber, but also that he has been misled by Miss Jurine. 



