60 BEES AND BEE-KEEPING. 



tines of the insect, the honey sac or bladder, the 

 poison sac and the sting. The honey sac is a reser- 

 voir into which is deposited the honey the bee sips 

 from the flowers, passing it through the proboscis 

 and the narrow pipes leading directly to the honey 

 sac ; when full it is the size of a small pea, and so 

 transparent that the color of the honey can be dis- 

 tinguished through it; this sac is provided with a 

 set of muscles, by which it is compressed at will, 

 enabling the bee to empty it into the cells. When 

 they get honey in large quantities, and are engaged 

 filling this sac, the rings of the abdomen have a vibra- 

 tory motion, similar to pumping ; the sac is entirely 

 separate from the stomach. 



Every worker is armed and equipped for war, both 

 offensive and defensive ; their sting is a small but 

 very effective weapon. Many men would flee from 

 an attack by such weapons, who would scorn to turn 

 their backs upon the bristling bayonet or the death- 

 dealing cannon's mouth. The sting is provided with 

 minute but very powerful muscles, by means of which 

 the bee can dart it out with force sufficient to pene- 

 trate through the thick skin of a man's hand. In 

 length it is about the sixth part of an inch, largest at 

 the root, tapering gradually toward the point, which 

 is extremely small and sharp. When examined with 

 a microscope, it appears to be polished extremely 

 smooth, being composed of a horny substance. It is 

 hollow within, like a tube, through which the poison 

 flows when a wound is inflicted. The point of the 

 sting is barbed, so that it is quite impossible for the 



