PROPOLIS. 877 



With respect to the absence of fir-trees, &c. in 

 the neighbourhood of the hives, it is to be recol- 

 lected, in the first place, that bees will fly about 

 three miles (some say five,) for what they may 

 want : HUBER thinks that the radius of the circle 

 they traverse does not exceed half a league, yet 

 says that the question is undecided. In the second 

 place, that a balsamic and tenacious secretion is 

 found upon the buds of several plants and trees, 

 which are often crowded with these insects ; such 

 for instance as the tacamahac, horse-chesnut, and 

 hollyhock. Dr. Evans says that he has been an 

 eye-witness of their collecting the balsamic varnish 

 which coats the young blossom buds of the holly- 

 hock, and has seen them rest at least ten minutes 

 on the same bud, moulding the balsam with their 

 fore feet and transferring it to the hinder legs, as 

 above stated. When finally moulded, the pellets 

 of propolis are of a lenticular form. 



" With merry hum the Willow's copse they scale, 

 The fir's dark pyramid, or Poplar pale, 

 Scoop from the Alder's leaf its oozy flood, 

 Or strip the Chesnut's resin-coated bud, 

 Skim the light tear that tips Narcissus' ray, 

 Or round the Hollyhock's hoar fragrance play. 

 Soon temper'd to their will through eve's low beam, 

 And link'd in airy bands the viscous stream, 

 They waft their nut-brown loads exulting home, 

 That form a fret-work for the future comb, 

 Caulk every chink where rushing winds may roar, 

 And seal their circling ramparts to the floor." EVANS. 



