14 THE HIVE AND THE HONEY-BEE. 



together, in order that they may act simultaneously, and not 

 only serve to convey the insects from place to place, through 

 the air, but by the humming, buzzing noise their motion pro- 

 duces, to give notice of their departure from, and return to, the 

 hive, as well as possibly to animate their fellows in their mutual 

 labors. 



Interiorly, the thorax contains the oesophagus, or gullet, 

 which traverses its extent on its way into the abdomen, where 

 it dilates into, first, the honey-bag, which is furnished with two 

 pouches posteriorly, and a muscular apparatus, by which it is 

 enabled to give forth its saccharine contents ; and, secondly, 

 into the true stomach, in which digestion goes on for the nourish- 

 ment of the insect, and the secretion of wax. 



Next to the stomach is situated the sting : this consists of 

 two darts enclosed in a sheath. The whole apparatus enters the 

 wound, and the two small darts then enter still farther : these 

 are barbed, and, on the insect withdrawing them, aid in widen- 

 ing the puncture, and thus afford greater room for the introduc- 

 tion of the poison. At the base of the sting, the bag containing 

 the poison is placed ; this fluid is, as already stated, an acid, but 

 further than that it is so, has not been ascertained. 



The bee respires by means of spiracles, or breathing-holes, 

 situated in the thorax, beneath and behind the wings. Through 

 these, air is admitted into the thorax, for the purpose of oxy- 

 genating the circulating system : for oxygen is no less essential 

 to the well being of the bee — nay, to its very existence — than it 

 is to that of man. Will not this convince every reader of the 

 necessity which exists for duly ventilating the hives, or bee- 

 boxes ? — an operation so much neglected, and yet so important 

 a feature, as I shall show hereafter, in the proper and remune- 

 rative management of these insects. 



CHAPTER III. 



ARCHITECTURE OF THE HONEY-BEE, AND ECONOMY OF THE HIVE. 



When a new swarm of bees establish themselves in a hive, or 

 other receptacle, whether natural or artificial, their first proceed- 

 ing is to cleanse the interior thoroughly, and carefully to stop up 



