f) PLINY'S NATUEAL HISTOEY. [Book XI. 



which conceal themselves in the walls of our houses, are much 

 sooner sensible of the returning warmth. With reference to 

 bees, either seasons and climates have considerably changed, or 

 else former writers have been greatly mistaken. They retire 

 for the winter at the setting of the Vergilise, and remain shut 

 up till after the rising of that constellation, and not till only 

 the beginning of spring, as some authors have stated ; nor, in- 

 deed, does any one in Italy ever think of then opening the hives. 

 They do not come forth to ply their labours until the bean 

 blossoms ; and then not a day do they lose in inactivity, while 

 the weather is favourable for their pursuits. 



First of all, they set about constructing their combs, and 

 forming the wax, or, in other words, making their dwellings 

 and cells ; after this they produce their young, and then make 

 honey and wax from flowers, and extract bee-glue 12 from the 

 tears of those trees which distil glutinous substances, the 

 juices, gums, and resins, namely, of the willow, the elm, and 

 the reed. With these substances, as well as others of a more 

 bitter nature, they first line the whole inside of the hive, as a 

 sort of protection ag«ainst the greedy propensities of other small 

 insects, as they are well aware that they are about to form 

 that which will prove an object of attraction to them. Having 

 done this, they employ similar substances in narrowing the 

 entrance to the hive, if otherwise too wide. 



CHAP. 6. (5.) THE MEANING OF THE TEEMS COMMOSIS, PISSO- 



CEEOS, AND PEOPOLIS. 



The persons who understand this subject, call the substance 

 which forms the first foundation of their combs, commosis, u the 

 next, pissoceros™ and the third propolis;** which last is placed 

 between the other layers and the wax, and is remarkable for 

 its utility in medicine. 16 The commosis forms the first crust 

 or layer,* and has a bitter taste ; and upon it is laid the pisso- 

 ceros, a kind of thin wax, which acts as a sort of varnish. 

 The propolis is produced from the sweet gum of the vine or 



12 "Melligo." For further information on this subject consult Bevan 

 on the Honey Bee. 



13 Or "conusis," " gummy matter." 



14 Pitch-wax. 



15 A kind of bee-glue ; the origin of the name does not seem to be 

 known. Reaumur says that they are all different varieties of bee-glue. 



16 See B. xxii. c. 50. 



