. The bee and white ants, their manners and habits; with illustrations of animal instinct and intelligence. Bees; Instinct; Termites. THE BEE. represented ia this act in fig. 31. Having fixed a secure hold on the lamina, it carries it by its feet from the abdomen to its mouth, where it is taken by one of the fore-legs which holds it vertically while the tongue rolled up serves for a support, and by raising and depressing at will, causes the whole circumference to be brought successively under the action of the mandibles {fig. 32), so that the margin is soon ground into pieces. These pieces fal
. The bee and white ants, their manners and habits; with illustrations of animal instinct and intelligence. Bees; Instinct; Termites. THE BEE. represented ia this act in fig. 31. Having fixed a secure hold on the lamina, it carries it by its feet from the abdomen to its mouth, where it is taken by one of the fore-legs which holds it vertically while the tongue rolled up serves for a support, and by raising and depressing at will, causes the whole circumference to be brought successively under the action of the mandibles {fig. 32), so that the margin is soon ground into pieces. These pieces fall gradually as they are detached in the double cavity of the mandibles which are bordered with hair. Fig. 31. Fig. 32,. The mandibles or jaws which execute this process open in a horizontal, instead of a vertical, direction as in the case of the superior animals, and have a form resembling that of a pair of shears or scissors. 72. The fragments of the lamina? thus divided falling on either side of the mouth, and pressed together into a compact mass, issue from it in the form of a very narrow ribbon. This ribbon is then presented to the tongue by which it is impregnated with a frothy liquor, which has the same effect upon it as water has on potter's earth in the formation of porcelain paste. That this -process, by which the raw material of the wax is worked and Juieaded, is an extremely elaborate and artificial one, is rendered apparent by observing carefully the manoeuvres of the bee's tongue in the process. Sometimes that organ assumes the form of a spatula, or apothecary's knife, sometimes it takes the form of a mason's trowel, and sometimes that of a pencil tapering to a point, never ceasing to work upon the ribbon which is being evolved from the mouth in these several forms. After the ribbon has been thus thoroughly impregnated with moisture, and carefully kneaded, the tongue again pushes it between the mandibles, but in a contrary direction to that in which it previously p
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, booksubjectbees, booksubjectinst
