ACTION OF MIDDLE LEGS. 
15 
from the proximal segments of the forelegs (coxa, trochanter, 
femur). As a result of the oft-repeated contact of the brushes of 
the middle and forelegs with the breast, the long, branched hairs 
which cover this region become quite moist and sticky, since the 
brushes of these two pair of legs are wet and the pollen which they 
bear possesses a superabundance of the moistening fluid. Any dry 
pollen which passes over this region and touches these hairs receives 
moisture by contact with them. This is particularly true of the free 
dry pollen which the middle pair of legs collect by combing over the 
sides of the thorax. 
The pollen upon the middle legs is transferred to the hind legs in 
at least two ways. By far the larger amount is deposited upon the 
pollen combs which lie on the inner surfaces of the plantse of the 
Fig. 6. — A bee upon the wing, showing the position of the middle legs when they touch 
and pat down the pollen masses. A very slight amount of pollen reaches the corbiculre 
through this movement. (Original.) 
hind legs. To accomplish this a middle leg is placed between the 
plantse of the two hind legs, which are brought together so as to grasp 
the brush of the middle leg, pressing it closely between them, but 
allowing it to be drawn toward the body between the pollen combs 
of the two hind legs. (See fig. 5.) This action results in the trans- 
ference of the pollen from the middle-leg brush to the pollen combs 
of the hind leg of the opposite side, since the combs of that leg scrape 
over the pollen-laden brush of the middle leg. This action may take 
place while the bee is on the wing or before it leaves the flower. 
The middle legs place a relatively small amount of pollen directly 
upon the pollen masses in the corbiculse. This is accomplished when 
the brushes of the middle legs are used to pat down the pollen masses 
and to render them more compact. (See fig. 6.) The legs are used 
