I must just tell you something of the uses of the five eyes. At one time it was supposed that _each_ facet of the compound eyes made a separate image of the object to which it was directed. But this is very improbable, for what possible use could there be in the insect seeing, instead of the one flower at which it was looking, several thousands of flowers each exactly like the other? It is much more likely that every facet forms a picture of only that part of the object which is exactly in front of it, all the pictures combining to form a single image. No doubt the compound eyes are used for seeing things at a distance, and the simple eyes for objects near at hand. It has been proved that bees can distinguish between colours, and even that they prefer certain colours to others; one of their favourite colours is pale blue. An experiment, which is both interesting and instructive, has often been performed, and it shows us that not only is the bee able to tell one colour from another, but also that it possesses a memory. Pieces of blue, yellow, and red paper are obtained, and upon each is placed a slip of glass. A little honey is placed upon the slip of glass which is over the blue paper, and all three are put near a hive. A bee is caught and placed on the honey. After sucking some of it she flies to the hive to store her treasure and quickly returns for more. She is allowed to make several journeys between the honey and the hive, so as to impress upon her memory that the honey is to be found on the blue paper. Then while she is away at the hive, the slip of glass is placed upon the yellow paper. She returns, as before, to the blue paper, and seems puzzled at not finding the honey there, but after a careful search, she discovers the honey on the yellow paper. The fact that the bee came back to the blue paper proves that she has a memory and that she is able to distinguish one colour from another. CHAPTER IX THE TONGUE AND MOUTH PARTS The tongue of an insect is called the _proboscis_, a Greek word meaning a front feeder, or trunk, and indeed the bee’s tongue is not unlike the trunk of an elephant. Let us glance at Plate VIII., where a picture of the mouth parts of the bee is shown. The tongue itself is in the centre, and it appears long and hairy, tapering to a fine point. On each side of the tongue are the _Labial palpi_, which are part of the case in which the tongue is kept, when not in use. Beyond these are the _Maxillæ_, or inner jaws, which form the other part of the case.