Excerpt from Money in Bees in Australasia: A Practical Treatise on the Profitable Management of the Honey Bee in Australasia The man in the street considers the sharp end Of the bee of most interest, but it is hoped this book will interest him in both ends. The compound eye of facets take a diamond and study it closely; it is ground to a number Of flat surfaces at varying angles. There are little flat surfaces in the construction of the bee's eye. Each Of these facets reflects a perfect image Of the landscape, so we cease to wonder how bees find honey in blossoms so far from home. In the darkness of the hive the bees have the assistance Of three simple eyes called ocelli, situated in front of the head. When nectar is found, she brings into use the marvellous tongue. This looks to our eyes just a coarse red hair, but under the microscope it is no longer so. Three delicate tubes all well within the compass Of a single thread: can we comprehend the fineness of the hair lining the inside of the tubes? As the bee licks up the nectar, these small hairs act as a strainer, and all pollen grains are caught in the fine mesh. What wondrous architect designed this adjustable tongue? How simply the bee unrolls the pseudo tube, and with two front feet brushes away the pollen particles. Is there any mechanical action so worthy Of our reverence? Here from the head project the antennae - the sensitive organs that guide the bees to their various duties in the darkness of the hive. Aye, even more, do not the antennae help the owner to discover the suitable places on our body wherein to plant that excellent weapon, the sting? About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.