THE HONEY-BEE. 
41 
The Sting, with its appendages, (annexed Wood- 
Cut,) lies close to the last stomach, and, like the 
proboscis, may seem to the naked eye a simple in- 
strument, while it is, in fact, no less complex in its 
structure than the former apparatus. Instead of 
being a simple sharp-pointed weapon, like a fine 
needle, it is composed of two branches or darts, a a, 
applied to each other longitudinally, and lodged in 
one sheath, b b. One of these darts is somewhat 
longer than the other ; they penetrate alternately, 
taking hold of the flesh, till the whole sting is com- 
pletely buried. The sheath is formed by two horny 
scales, (themselves inclosed within two fleshy sheaths, 
cc,) along the groove of which, when the sting is 
extruded, flows the poison from a bag or reservoir d, 
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 injected ; and 
though it is said the insect lias 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 intestines ; death is the inevit- 
able consequence. Though detached from the ani- 
mal, this formidable weapon still retains, by means 
of the strong muscles by which it is impelled, the 
power of forcing itself still deeper. On the subject 
