a . , : aia | 
‘ ? Ds ie ir 7 | ay 
64 The Hiftory of Brzs. 
But to give the Reader a fuller Defetip= 
tion of fo curious an Inftrument, I readily 
accept the Affiftance of thofe Gentlemen, 
who have by the Help of the Microfeope, 
moft ftrictly examined it. 
‘* It thus appears to confift of three Parts; 
viz. a Sheath or Scabbard; with two 
beatded Darts, of an unequal Length, 
which rifing obliquely, make the Wound 
_ the more painful, preyent the Return, and 
render the Extraction the more’ difficult 
and troublefome. The Sheath terminates 
in. a fharp Point, and near the’ Extre- 
mity a Paflage opens, thro’ which at the 
Time of ftinging, the two bearded Darts 
‘are protruded beyond the End of the — 
Sheath; one of which being longer than 
the other, fixes it’s Beard firft, and the 
other inftantly following, they alternately 
{trike deeper and deeper into the Wound, 
by their Hooks taking fafter hold of the 
Flefh, when.a poifonous Juice is injected 
thro’ the fame (Spicula) or Sheath, from 
a little Bag at the Root of the Sting, 
which for a Time occafions an acute pain- 
ful Swelling.” 
Mr. Derbam* tells us, that in the Sting 
of a Waifp he counted no lefs than eight 
Beards on the Side of each Dart, and Mr, 
Baker + has obferved the fame Number i in 
that of a Bee, 
ee 
| The 
*% Derham’s Phy. Theo. p. 241. + Baker’s Micr. p. 210, 
