The Legs 



1^ 



Fig. I. 



removing every pollen grain and particle of dust from its 

 ear-holes, smell-hollows, and sensory hairs. 



This it does by a very ingenious apparatus in the bend of 

 the foreleg between the tibia and the metatarsus, — that is, 

 between the fourth and fifth joints. 



On the upper inner edge of the meta- 

 tarsus is a semicircular groove just large 

 enough to hold the antenna and sur- 

 rounded on the outside edge by an out- 

 ward pointing comb of very fine teeth. 



Hanging from the lower inside edge of 

 the tibia is a curious valve-like structure 

 X, which, when the leg is flexed (Fig. 2) 

 covers the opening to the semi-circular groove. 



Seen from above this lid or valve somewhat resembles a 

 slightly irregular curved fish scale with a keel running 

 through the centre. 



The antenna, when the leg is 

 raised above it and then low- 

 ered, slips into the groove, the 

 leg joint is then flexed, bringing 

 the valve down so that the an- 

 tenna is caught as in a trap. The leg 

 being moved outward, the antenna is 

 drawn through, the comb on one side 

 and the thin edge of the valve on the other scraping it 



clean. 



This apparatus is evidently designed specially for clean- 

 ing the antenna and is a remarkable illustration of the 

 development of an organ for a special purpose. 



It is used very quickly and very frequently, and one 

 watching a bee will surely see it draw its feelers through 

 the cleaners. 



The cleaning apparatus can be seen with the naked eye. 



