POISONOUS HONEY OF NORTH AMERICA; \0\ 



It deferves to be mentioned, that the honey which is formed ReTpefting the 

 by two different hives of bees in the fame tree, or at a little U nwhSefome or 

 diftance from each other, often poflefles the moftoppofite pro* poifonous honey, 

 perties. Nay, the honey from the fame individual comb is 

 fometimes not lefs different in tafte,- in colour, and in its ef- 

 fects. Thus one uratum or portion of it may be eaten with- 

 out the lead inconvenience^ whilft that which is immediately 

 adjacent to it (hall oceafion the feveral effects which I have 

 juft enumerated. 



I have taken fome pains to learn nhat are the figns by which 

 the deleterious honey may, at firfr. view, bediftinguifhed from 

 innocent honey. I am informed that there is no difficulty in 

 the matter. 



The poifonous honey is faid, by fome; to be of a crimfon- 

 colour; by others, it is faid to be of a reddifh-brown colour, 

 and of a thicker confluence than common innocent honey. 



Thefe are the figns by which, I am told, the moft experi- 

 enced hunters, in the fouthern parts of North-America, are 

 enabled to diftinguifh pernicious from innocent honey. 



On a fubjecl fuch as this> I feel every difpofition to pay a 

 good deal of deference to the experience of an American 

 hunter. Even philofophers may obtain much ufefui informa- 

 tion from hunters, however wandering their life; however 

 rude their manners. It is in the povfrer of our hunters to en- 

 rich natural hiftory with many important fa£ts. But we ought 

 not, I pjrefume, to confide implicitly in every thing they 

 tell us. 



I have good feafons for doubting whether the figns which I The external 



have mentioned will enable us, in every inftanee, to deter- gns 3re n ,°^ 



. J very condttfiyfc 



mine whether honey be poilonous or innocent. 



The honey of the bee, undoubtedly fometimes partakes 

 of the colour of the flowers from which it is gathered. The 

 bees gather honey from many flowers of a crimfon colour, 

 and from many flowers whofe colour is a reddifli brown. In 

 thefe cafes, it is probable that the honey will fometimes 

 borrow, in fome degree, the colour of the flowers. Yet 

 there are many crimfon-coloured and reddifh-brown coloured 

 flowers that are perfectly innocent. The honey obtained 

 from them will, I prefume, be innocent alfo. Mr. Bruce 

 fays he was furprifed to fee, at Dixan, in Abyffinia, •? theRedhoc«j| 

 feoney red like blood, and nothing," he remarks, " can have 



Vol. V.-^July, M m 



