GENERAL HISTORY OE BEES. 
41 
not seem to be at al] used by that sex for any purpose 
but sexual. In the females they are used for the con- 
«/ 
struction of their burrows and nests, and for the pur¬ 
pose of nipping the narrow spurs and tubes of flowers 
to get at the nectar; and they often nip, whilst seeking 
pollen, the anthers of the flowers which have not yet 
burst their receptacles of pollen. 
These insects must necessarily nicely appreciate the 
quantity of pollen requisite to the full development of 
the young insect, and, although we often observe a re¬ 
markable difference of size in the individuals of a species, 
this may rather arise from some defect in the quality of 
the nutritive purveyance than in its quantity, for instinct 
would as efficiently provide for this purpose as it un¬ 
questionably guides to the collection and storing of the 
nutritive supplies. 
Having thus completed the description of the head 
and of all its attachments, I proceed to— 
The Thorax, which is divided by sutures into three 
parts already mentioned above, viz. the prothorax, the 
mesothoraoc, and the metathorax. 
The collar, or upper part of the prothorax, is often 
very distinct, and even angulated laterally in front, and 
frequently presents, both in colouring and form, a specific 
character. At its under portion on each side the ante¬ 
rior legs are articulated. 
All the legs comprise the coxa, or hip-joint; the tro¬ 
chanter, which is a small joint forming the connection 
between this and the next joint the femur, or thigh ; the 
tibia, or shank; and the tarsus, or foot. The latter con¬ 
sists of five joints, declining in length from the first, 
which is generally as long as all the rest united together; 
the first, in the anterior pair, being called the palmce, 
