MANAGEMENT OF HONEY BEES. 25 
hold of the flesh, till the whole sting is com- 
pletely buried. The sheath is formed by two 
horny scales, along the grooves of which, 
when the sting is extruded, flows the poison, 
from a bag or reservoir in the body of the 
insect, near the root of the sting. The darts 
composing this weapon, are each furnished 
with five teeth or barbs, set obliquely on 
their outer side, which give the instrument 
the appearance of an arrow, and by which it 
is retained in the wound it has made, till the 
poison has been ejected; and though it is 
said the insect has the power of raising or 
depressing them at pleasure, it often happens 
that when suddenly driven away, it is unable 
to extricate itself, without leaving behind it 
the whole apparatus, and even part of its in- 
testines, death is the inevitable consequence. 
Though detached from the animal, this for- 
midable weapon still retains, by means of 
the strong muscles by which it is impelled, 
the power of forcing itself still deeper. On 
the subject of the sting, Paley ingeniously 
remarks: “The action of the sting affords 
