Function of Propolis, 163 



might join as mourners. This custom still prevails, as I 

 understand, in some parts of the South. Propolis'has great 

 adhesive force, and though soft and pliable when warm 

 becomes very hard and unyielding when cold. 



The use of bee-glue is to cement the combs to their sup- 

 ports, to fill up all rough places inside the hive, to seal up 

 all crevices except the place of exit, which the bees often 

 contract by aid of propolis, and even to cover any foreign 

 substance that cannot be removed. Intruding snails have 

 thus been imprisoned inside the hive. Reaumur found a 

 snail thus encased; Maraldi a slug similarly entombed; 

 while I have myself observed a bombus, which had been 

 stripped by the bees of wings, hair, etc., in their vain 

 attempts at removal, also encased in this unique style of a 

 sarcophagus, fashioned- by the bees. Alcohol, ether, and 

 chloroform are all ready solvents of bee-glue, and will 

 quickly remove it from the hands, clothing, etc. 



BIBLIOGRAPHV. 



For those who wish to pursue these interesting subjects 

 more at length, I would recommend the following authors 

 as specially desirable: Kirby and Spence, Introduction to 

 Entomology; Duncan's Transformations of Insects; Pack- 

 ard's Guide to the Study of Insects (American).; F. Ruber's 

 New Observations on the Natural History of Bees ; Bevan 

 on the Honey-Bee; Langstroth on the Honey-Bee (Amer- 

 ican ); Neighbour on The Apiary; Cheshire's Bees and 

 Bee-Keeping ; and the other books already referred to on 

 page eleven. 



I have often been asked to recommend such treatises, 

 and I heartily commend all of the above. The first and 

 fourth are now out of print, but can be had by leaving 

 orders at second-hand book-stores. 



