76 
THE HIVE AND HONEY-BEE. 
did mind, the smallest piece of honey-comb is a perfect 
demonstration that there is a “ Great First Cause. 
» On books deep poring, ye pale sons of toil, 
Who waste in studious trance the midnight oil, 
Say, can ye emulate, with- all your rules, 
Drawn or from Grecian or from Gothic schools, 
This artless frame ? Instinct her simple guide, 
A heaven-taught insect baffles all your pride. 
Not all yon marsliall’d orbs, that ride so high, 
Proclaim more loud a present Deity, 
Than the nice symmetry of these small cells, ^ 
Where on each angle genuine science dwells. 
Evans. 
CHAPTER V . 
PROPOLIS. 
This substance is obtained by the bees from the resinous 
buds and limbs of trees: the different varieties of poplar 
yield a rich supply. When first gathered, it is usually of 
a bright golden color, and so adhesive that the bees never 
deposit it in cells, but apply it at once to the purposes for 
which they procured it. If a bee is caught while bringing 
in a load, it will be found to adhere very firmly to her 
1Ct “ Huber planted in Spring some branches of the wild 
poplar, before the leaves were developed, and placed 
them in pots near his Apiary ; the bees alighted on them, 
separated the folds of the large buds with their foi- 
ceps, extracted the varnish in threads, and loaded with it, 
first one thigh and then the other; for they convey it like 
pollen, transferring it by the first pair of legs to the 
