392 THE HIVE BEE. 



S'on of labour, a great number of bees have an op- 

 portunity of being employed at the same time, and, 

 consequently, the common work is sooner finished. 

 The combs are generally arranged in a direction 

 parallel to each other. An interval or street be- 

 tween them is always left, that the bees may have 

 a free passage, and an easy communication with the 

 different combs in the hive. These streets are just 

 wide enough to allow two bees to pass one another. 

 Beside these parallel streets, to shorten their journey 

 when working, they leave several cross passages, 

 which are always covered. 



They are extremely solicitous to prevent insects 

 of any kind from getting admittance into their hives. 

 To accomplish this purpose, and in order to shut out 

 the cold, when they take possession of a new hive, 

 they carefully examine every part of it ; and if they 

 discover any small holes or chinks, they immediately 

 paste them firmly up with a resinous substance which 

 differs considerably from wax. This substance was 

 known to the antients by the name of propolis or bee- 

 glue. Bees use the propolis for rendering their hives 

 more close and perfect, in preference io wax, be- 

 cause it is more durable, and more powerfully resists 

 the vicissitudes of weather. This glue is not, like 

 the wax, procured by an animal process. The bees 

 collect it from different trees, as the poplars, the 

 birches, and the willows. It is a complete pro- 

 duction of nature, and requires no additional 

 manufacture from the animals by which it is 

 employed. Alter a bee has procured a quantity 

 sufficient to fill the cavities of its two hind-legs, it 



