98 HISTORY OF 



serve the necessary heat. The mouth of every 

 cell is defended by a border, which makes the door 

 a little less than the inside of the cell, which serves 

 to strengthen the whole. These cells serve for dif- 

 ferent purposes : for laying up their young ; for 

 their wax, which in winter becomes a part of their 

 food; and for their honey, which makes their 

 principal subsistence. 



It is well known that the habitation of bees 

 ought to be very close ; and what their hives 

 want, from the negligence or unskilfulness of 

 man, these animals supply by their own industry ; 

 so that it is their principal care, when first hived, 

 to stop up all the crannies. For this purpose 

 they make use of a resinous gum, which is more 

 tenacious than wax, and differs greatly from it. 

 This the ancients called propolis : it will grow 

 considerably hard in June, though it will in some 

 measure soften by heat ; and is often found dif- 

 ferent in consistence, colour, and smell. It has 

 generally an agreeable aromatic odour when it is 

 warmed ; and by some it is considered as a most 

 grateful perfume. When the bees begin to work 

 with it, it is soft, but it acquires a firmer consis- 

 tence every day, till at length it assumes a brown 

 colour, and becomes much harder than wax. 

 The bees carry it on their hinder legs ; and some 

 think it is met with on the birch, the willow, and 

 poplar. However it is procured, it is certain that 

 they plaster the inside of their hives with this 

 composition. 



If examined through a glass hive, from the 

 hurry the whole swarm is in, the whole appears 



