THE farmer’s manual. 
153 
nut colour. This substance i: <lfd into two parts 
very supple at the end, and it • !y seen fit its litll 
length when the Bee is cniployi ' i oilecting boix y 
in water. If the teeth be sepai ‘ *. we ob.serve at 
the orifice of the proboscis an o) g, which is the 
mouth, and above it a fleshy sub.yai ce which is the 
tongue; their use will be explaif.cd in the secjuel. 
Tlic breast is attached to the head b) a very short 
neck ; it carries four wings upon it. the two last are 
longer than the two first. It has' six feet, on the two 
hinder of which, are two triangular cavities, in which 
the Bee by degrees collects the fai-ina from the plants. 
At the extremity of the six feet, are two sorts of tangs, 
with which the Bees attach themselves to the .-.ides of 
the hives, and to each other. From the middle of 
these fangs, on the four hinder legs, project tour 
bushy substances, the use of which are to collect the 
dust of the flowers, attached to the hairs of their bo- 
dy, and are of the same use as hands. The body, 
pro()erly called, is united to the breast by a species 
of thread, and is composed of six scaly rings. 
The whole body of the Bee appears, even to die 
naked eye, to be well clothed. Age makes a little 
difl'erence with them in point of colour; those o! the 
present year are brown, and have greyish hairs ; 
those of the preceding year, have redclish hair, and 
the scales less brown, rather inclining to a black. 
Their wings are often torn and fringed at the ends, 
occasioned by their former flights. On the wings 
and on the breast, are observed small orifices, or 
por.es, in the shape of a mouth, by which the Bee 
respires, these arc the lungs ot the body, (technical- 
ly called sty smates ;) this part, which is of a wonder- 
ful construction, is both common to the Bee, and all 
other insects. The interior of the body consists of 
four parts; the intestines, the honey-bag, the venom- 
vessel, and the sting. The honey-bag is as large as 
a pea, when it is filled ; transparent as chrystal, and 
is the store-house of the Bee, when collecting the 
