rdam been prejudiced with this opinion, he
would have seen that the lenticular body can proceed from the body in
erection without reversing itself; he could have proportioned the
tortuous canal, which he calls the root of the penis; he would have seen
that, at certain times, it can be sufficiently extended to allows the
lenticular substance to protrude; he would have discovered the real use
of the scaly plates; he would have explained that of the canal k, of the
plaited pallet q, and the movements of all these parts, more admirable
perhaps than the inversion which he was the first to observe.

Our observations incontestibly prove copulation. The portion of the
males found engaged in the body of our queens, hitherto called the
lenticular substance, may be denominated a penis both from its position
and use. The same surface is presented by it in the queen as in the body
of the male, which is proved by the position of the laminae, e. e.
attached to the interior of the penis, when found in the queen. It is
evident, if the supposed inversion took place, the laminae would be found
within the posterior part of the penis; and we should see them through
its membrane, by their concave side, instead of which the convex surface
is presented when in the vulva of females, the same as in the body of
the males. But what is the use of these laminae? From their figure,
hardness, relative position with respect to each other, and their
situation at the extremity of the penis, we cannot doubt they are real
pincers. However, to ascertain the fact, we found it necessary to see
their position, and that of the penis itself in the females. For this
purpose, we prevented some of the queens from extracting the parts left
by the impregnating males, and by dissection we discovered that the
laminae were pincers as we had conjectured.

The penis was situated under the sting of the queens, and pressed
against the upper region of the belly. It was supported by the posterior
end, against the extremity of the vagina, or excretory canal. There we
were sensible of the motion and use of the scaly pieces. Their
extremities were separated a little more than in the male, and pressed
between them some of the female parts below the excretory canal. The
extreme minuteness of these parts prevented us from distinguishing them
clearly, but the effort necessary to separate and remove the penis from
the female, satisfied us of the use of these laminae.

Inspecting a