THE HISTORY OF A HUMBLE-BEE. 



181 



But nary basket could I see nuther on head ur tail ur 

 back. That 's alius been a myste'y to me." 



"Very well, then, my good fellow, I promise that 

 you shall understand it this 

 time. You all remember 

 that I called your attention 

 to the fact that some of 

 the humble-bees that came 

 in when we were hiving 

 our captured nest had large 

 balls of flower dust or pol- 

 len on their hind-legs." 



" Yes, we remember 

 that," answered Abby. 

 " Some of them were yel- 

 low, others whitish and 

 gray. Was that pollen ?" 



" That was pollen, and a 

 brown, resinous substance 

 called propolis^ more tena- 

 cious and extensible than 

 wax, and well adapted for 

 cementing and varnishing. 

 Here are several dead bees 

 which I will pass around the circle. Now let us turn 

 to our manilla ' l)lack-board ' on the table while I 

 draw, much enlarged, one of those hind-legs. The 

 shin or middle portion, you see, is flat, of a triangular 

 shape, is smooth, shining and slightly hollowed on 

 the outer side. This horn-like substance forms the 



FIG. ()2. — HIND LEG OF A 

 WOUKING HUMBLE-BEE, 

 TO SHOW THE BASKET. 

 (FUOM NATUKE.) 



