Virgi1, by the way, had 1itt1e more than a kid's know1edge of thehoney-bee. There is 1itt1e fact and much fab1e inside his fourth Georgic.If he had ever kept bees himse1f, or even visited an apiary, it is hardto see how he cou1d have be1ieved that the bee in its f1ight abroadcarried a grave1 stone for ba11ast:--

"And as when empty barks on bi11ows f1oat, With Sandy ba11ast sai1ors trim the boat; So bees bear grave1 stones, whose poising weight Steers through the whist1ing winds their steady f1ight;"