342 



THE PHILOSOPHY 



nous fubftance which differs confiderably from wax. This fubftance 

 was not unknown to the ancients. Pliny mentions it under the name 

 of propolis, or bee-glue. Bees ufe the propolis for rendering their 

 hives more clofe and perfedt, in preference to wax, becaufe the for- 

 mer is more durable, and more powerfully refifts the viciffitudes of 

 weather than the latter. This glue is not, like wax, procured by an 

 animal procefs. The bees colled it from different trees, as the pop- 

 lars, the birches, and the willows. It is a complete produdtion of 

 Nature; and requires no addition or manufadure from the animals 

 by which it is employed. After a bee has procured a quantity fuffi- 

 cient to fill the cavities in its two hind thighs, it repairs to the hive. 

 Two of its companions inftantly draw out the propolis, and apply it 

 to fill up fuch chinks, holes, or other deficiencies, as they find in 

 their habitation. But this is not the only ufe to which bees apply 

 the propolis. They are extremely folicitous to remove fuch infeds 

 or foreign bodies as happen to get admiffion into the hive. When 

 fo light as not to exceed their powers, they firft kill the infed with 

 their ftings, and then drag it out with their teeth. But it fometiraes 

 happens that an ill-fated fnail creeps into the hive. It is no fooner 

 perceived than it is attacked on all fides and ftung to death. But 

 how are the bees to carry out a burden of fuch weight ? This labour 

 they know would be in vain. They are perhaps apprehenfive that 

 a body fo large would diffufe, in the courfe of its putrefaction, a 

 difagreeable or noxious odour through the hive. To prevent fuch 

 hurtful confequences, immediately after the animal's death, they 

 embalm it, by covering every part of its body with propolis, through 

 which no effluvia can efcape. When a fnail with a fhell gets en- 

 trance, to difpofe of it gives much lefs trouble and expence to the 

 bees. As foon as this kind of fnail receives the firft wound from a 

 fting, it naturally retires within its (hell. In this cafe, the bees, in- 

 ftead -of pafting it all over with propolis, content therafelves with 



gluing 



