CH. III.] THE HIVE BEE. 07 



to enter the hive, and has even the audacity to walk 

 over the comb ; the presumptuous and foul intruder 

 is quickly killed, but its gig-antic carcase is not so 

 speedily removed. Unable to transport the corpse 

 out of their dwelling-, and fearing "the noxious 

 smells" arising from corruption, the bees adopt an 

 efficacious mode of protecting themselves ; they 

 embalm their offensive enemy, by covering him over 

 with propolis ; both Maraldi and Reaumur have seen 

 this. The latter observed that a snail had entered a 

 hive, and fixed itself to the glass side, just as it does 

 against walls, until the rain shall invite it to thrust 

 out its head beyond its shell. The bees, it seemed, 

 did not like the interloper, and not being able to pe- 

 netrate the shell with their sting, took a hint from 

 the snail itself, and instead of covering it all over 

 with propolis, the cunning economists fixed it im- 

 moveably, by cementing merely the edge of the ori- 

 fice of the shell to the glass with this resin, and thus 

 it became a prisoner for life, for rain cannot dissolve 

 this cement, as it does that which the insect itself 

 uses.* 



* When they expel their excrements, they go apart that they may not 

 defile their companions ; and in winter, when prevented by extreme 

 cold, or the injudicious practice of wholly closing the hive, from going 

 out for this purpose, their bodies sometimes become so swelled from 

 the accumulation of feces, that when at last able to go out, they cannot 

 fly, and falling on the ground in the attempt, they perish with cold, tho 

 sacrifice of personal neatness. Kirby, vol. ii. p. 200. 



