424 
BEE. 
bottoms of the flowers, and robs them of their trea- 
sured sweets. The joints in this trunk are admi- 
rably adapted to prevent its being injured, by al- 
lowing the insect to fold it up when it is not in use: 
besides this, it is fortified against all accident by 
four strong scales, two of which closely sheathe it ; 
and the two others, whose cavities and dimensions 
are larger, encompass the whole. This curious ap- 
paratus evidently justifies an observation made by a 
learned divine, that the minutest things in nature 
were appointed to some peculiar end and purpose ; 
and that the Deity is as conspicuous in the structure 
of a fly, as he is in the bright globe t>f the sun 
himself. 
The middle part or breast of a bee sustains the 
legs, which are six in number, together with four 
wings, which serve not only to transport the insect 
where it pleases, but, by their quick vibrations in 
the air, occasion the humming noise that informs 
us of the bee’s approach. The hair, which entirely 
covers the body, is serviceable in retaining the farina 
which falls from the flowers when they collect the 
bee bread. At the extremity of the paws two little 
hooks shaped like sickles may be plainly seen with 
a moderate magnifier. These hooks are of great use 
to the bee in many instances ; they have two balls 
of sponge lying immediately under them, by means 
of which the insect is enabled to adhere to the 
smoothest surfaces, and walk with ease up a per- 
pendicular pane of glass, or along the ceiling of a 
room. 
