BEE. 
425 
The belly of the bee is distinguished into six rings, 
which the animal can lengthen or contract to a cer- 
tain degree at pleasure. The inside of this region 
of the body consists of four parts; the intestines, the 
bag of honey, the bag of poison, and the sting. 
The office of the intestines is to digest the food, 
in the same manner as this function is performed in 
all other animals. The bag of honey is as trans- 
parent as crystal, and contains the fluid sweets 
extracted from flowers by the bee; a small portion 
of which must remain in the bag to nourish the 
animal, but the largest quantity is discharged into 
the cells of the magazine, to support the whole 
community in winter. The bag of poison hangs 
at the root of the sting, through the cavity of which, 
as through a pipe, the bee injects this venomous 
liquor into the wound. 
The sting is composed of three parts ; the sheath 
and two darts. The sheath tapers to a very fine 
point, near which is an opening, calculated to give 
a free passage to the venom. The two darts are 
launched through another aperture, and are planted 
with small sharp points, like the beards of a hook, 
which rising a little obliquely render the incision 
more painful, and at the same time prevent the bee 
from disengaging her sting if she is at all hurried in 
getting away. It is therefore advisable for the 
wounded person to remain perfectly quiet, while 
the bee brings down these lateral points, and closes 
them round the shaft of the dart; by which means 
she frequently recovers her weapon, and consi- 
