230 
THE HTVE AND HONKY-BEK. 
The tongue of the female is double, 
and the line of separation is shcmi 
in the figure in Y hich 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.* His color was so dark 
that, but for the tongue, he might easily 
have been mistaken for a female of a 
dift’erent and much smaller species.f 
These insects are seldom seen on the ■«dng, 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 tbe hives. “ If disturbed in the daytime,” says Dr. 
Harris, “they open their ^vings 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 
♦ Tho logs are shown in this figure. In the sitting position, they are usunlly 
concealeci, as in tho procodlng figures. These drawings appear to bettor advantage 
in Plate XIII. 
t As all tho specimens submitted to Mr. Tidd wore taken from two adjoining 
hives, very late In the Fall, It Is possible that observations at some other season, 
and In dllTeront localities, may confirm tho view of those who beliovo that there 
are two species. Mr. Tidd, while experlraontlng to ascertain the sexes, found that 
a female, as soon as she was pinned fast, thrust out her ovipositor, which works 
with a telescopic motion, and began to fool for some crevice in which to deposit 
her eggs. Some cracks being made with a small penknife In tho wood to which 
frho was fastened, she at once proceeded to fill them with eggs. Her abdomen 
was ther. cut off, and tho cgg-laylng process continued as before, while the rest of 
tho body leisurely walked away I Tho abdomen was now dissected, so os to show 
the ducts of tho ovaries, and, even In this mutilated condition, she thrust out her 
ovipositor, all tho while carefully seeking for appropriate crevices In which to 
deposit her eggs 1 I hove repeated, with similar results, these experiments, so sug¬ 
gestive of curious spoculations as to insect volition. 
X They are surprisingly agile, both on foot and on the wing, tho motions of a hoe 
being very slow, in comparison. “They are,” says Reaumur, “the most nimble¬ 
footed creatures that I know,” 
Small Male. 
