
ne 
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ai 
| fala 
pestit 
pnik 
wep hor 

320 THE INSECT WORLD. 
disorder and confusion at the approaches to the hive, but this 
tumult is only so in appearance; an admirable order presides over 
this emulation in their work, which is the distinctive feature in 
bees.”’* A very simple calculation may serve to give us an idea of 
this prodigious activity. The opening of a well-stocked hive gives 
passage to one hundred bees a minute, which makes, from five 
o’clock in the morning till seven o’clock in the evening, eighty 
thousand re-entrances, or four excursions for each bee, supposing 
there is a population of twenty thousand workers. 
Let us now follow their occupations from the moment in which 
they establish themselves in a hive. The workers begin by 
stopping up all the openings except one door, which is always to 
remain open. A certain number set out to look for a resinous and 
sweet-scented substance ‘known under the name of propolis, which 
is destined to cover the inner surface of the hive, as its nayae 
shows, which is derived from a Greek word signifying out-skirts 
or suburb. Huber asserts that it is gathered from the buds: 
of plants. This substance has not yet been employed in the arts, 
although it possesses the same qualities as wax, as M. de Frariére 
remarks in his work on Bees and Bee-keeping.t The propolis is 
employed in Italy for making blisters. This gum is viscous and 
very adherent. The bee works it up into balls, and carries it, 
in this form, to the hive, where other labourers take possession 
of it. They seize the pellet with their mandibles, and apply 
it to cracks which they have to make air-tight. They use 
the propolis for another purpose still, which deserves to be men- 
tioned. 
It happens sometimes that an enemy penetrates into their 
hive, and that the bees are not strong enough to cast this in- 
truder out of their dwelling. What do they do? As soon as 
they have discovered the invasion of their domicile, they set 
upon the impudent intruder, and sting him to death. But 
how can they drag out the dead body, which is often very heavy ? 
Such, for instance, as a slug. On the other hand, it would be 
dangerous to abandon its carcass in the midst of the hive. 
A Roman Emperor said that the dead bodies of our enemies 
* L’Intelligence des Bétes. In 18mo, Paris, 1864. 
+ Sur les Abeilles et Apiculture. In 18mo, 2¢ edition. Paris. 





