E YES AND SIGHT. 
105 
culated by the angle formed by the lenses of the com- 
pound eyes that bees can at a distance of twenty feet 
distinguish objects from half to one inch in diameter. 
These eyes are therefore necessary for long vision. 
With respect to the ocelli, Muller (i 14) considered 
that from their structure their power of vision was 
‘ confined to the perception of very near objects.’ 
The simple eyes bear a similar relation to the com- 
pound eyes as the palpi do to the antennae. Both the 
antennae and compound eyes, he says, are absent in 
the larvae. 
Lowne says : ‘ I strongly suspect that the func 
tion of the ocelli is the perception of the inten- 
sity and the direction of the light, rather than 
vision in the ordinary acceptation of the term.’ 
The generally accepted view is, therefore, that the 
ocelli are useful in dark places and for near vision, 
while the compound eyes serve for seeing objects at 
long distances. 
That bees possess the sense of colour there is little 
doubt, although we do not think that the experiments 
of Sir J. Lubbock (10 1) are at all conclusive in prov- 
ing that bees have a preference for any particular 
colour. They simply show that bees can become 
accustomed to certain colours. G. Bonnier (9) has 
shown that, all things being equal, they do not visit 
flowers with bright colours more than they do others 
less brilliant. 
We shall in another chapter (page 167) mention 
drones with white eyes. These, being destitute of pig- 
ment, render their possessors blind. 
