230 
THE HIVE AND HONEY-BEE. 
The tongue of the female is double, 
and the line of separation is shown 
in the figure in which she is repre- 
sented as lying on her back. Both 
male and female were accurately copied 
from specimens of the average size and 
form. 
In this sketch, an under-sized male is 
represented.* Ilis color was so dark 
that, hut for the tongue, he might easily 
have been mistaken for a female of a 
different and much smaller species.f 
These insects are seldom seen on the wing, unless started 
from their lurking places about the hives, until towards 
dark. On cloudy days, however, the female may be • 
noticed endeavoring, before sunset, to gain an entrance 
into the hives. “ If disturbed in the daytime,” says Dr. 
Harris, “they open their wings a little, and spring or 
glide swiftly away, so that it is very difficult to seize or to 
hold them.J In the evening, they take wing, when the 
* The legs are shown in this figure. In the sitting position, they are usually 
concealed, as in the preceding figures. Theso drawings appear to bettor advantago 
in Plate XIII. 
t As all tho specimens submitted to Mr. Tidd wore taken from two adjoining 
hives, very lato in tho Fall, it is possible that observations at some other season, 
and in different localities, may confirm the view of those who boliovo that there 
are two species. Mr. Tidd, while experimenting to ascertain the sexes, found that 
a female, us soon as sho was pinned fast, thrust out her ovipositor, which works 
with a telescopic motion, and began to feol for some crevice in which to deposit 
her eggs. Some cracks being mado with a small penknife in the wood to which 
the was fastened, she at once proceeded to fill them with eggs. Her abdomen 
was ther. cut off, and tho egg-laying process continued as before, while tho rest of 
tho body leisurely walked away 1 The abdomen was now dissected, so as to show 
the ducts of the ovaries, and, even in this mutilated condition, sho thrust out hor 
ovipositor, all tho whllo carefully seeking for appropriate crevices in which to 
deposit her eggs ! I have repeated, with similar results, these experiments, so sug- 
gestive of curious speculations as to insoct volition. 
X They are surprisingly agile, both on foot and on the wing, tho motions of a bee 
being very slow, in comparison. 11 They are,” says Reaumur, “tho most nimble* 
footed creatures that I know.” 
Small Male. 
