44 
MANUAL OP THE 
mg’ a gutter along the upper edge, within which, two 
darts play backward or forward, at the option of the 
■Bee. Ihese darts are armed with fine teeth set hack- 
wards. The sting by means of the strong muscles at 
nts base, is thrust forwaad and forms a support to the 
mtenor serrated darts, which are plunged into the 
wound, whence from their structure, it is impossible to 
Withdraw them without considerable force. 
-The poison which is conveyed through the canal of 
the sting, is contained in a reservoir near the dilated 
base of the apparatus. 
This Bee is 30 days passing from the egg state to a 
perfect worker. 
RULE FIFTEENTH. 
History of the Drone. 
It has been supposed that the Drones were females, 
and deposited the eggs, and that the Queen was the 
only male in the Hive. But this has been discovered 
to be a mistake, and any apiariau may be convinced, 
by making a few observations in reference to this sub- 
ject. | 
The drones are the males; and appear to be of little 
use only to increase the population of the Hive. — 
They sometimes engage in feeding young Bees while 
in the cells, but tliis is mostly done by workers. — 
