GENERATION OF INSECTS. 7 



of Samson, who, havinp; killed a young lion in the 

 vineyards ofTimnath, "after a time turned aside to 

 see the carcass of the Hon : and behold a swarm of 

 bees and honey in the carcass*.'* It only requires 

 us, however, to examine the facts, to show that 

 this does not disagree with the preceding statement. 

 Bochart, in his Sacred Zoology, tells us that the 

 word rendered "carcass" literally signifies skeleton ; 

 and the Syriac version still more strongly renders 

 it a dried body (corpus exsiccatum). Bochart fur- 

 ther contends, that the phrase *' after a time " is one 

 of the commonest Hebraisms for a year. But when 

 we consider the rapid desiccation caused by the sum- 

 mer suns of Palestine, this extension of time will be 

 unnecessary; for travellers tell us that the bodies of 

 dead camels become quite parched there in a few 

 days. We have the testimony of Herodotus, that a 

 swarm of bees built their cells and made honey in 

 the dried carcass of a man placed above the gate of 

 Athamanta. Soranus also tells us of a swarm of 

 bees found in the tomb of the celebrated Hippocrates. 

 " I have been told," says Redi, " by Albergotto, a 

 man of profound erudition, that he had seen a swarm 

 in the cranium of a horse. Bees," he adds, " not 

 only do not Hve upon dead bodies, but they will not 

 even come near them, as I have often proved by ex- 

 periment." " It is probable," says Swammerdam, 

 " that the not rightly understanding Samson's ad- 

 venture of the lion gave rise to the popular opinion 

 of bees springing from dead lions, oxen, and horses.'' 

 Kirby and Spence seem disposed to consider Samson's 

 bees, as we have done those of Virgil, to be flies 

 resembUng bees; but the " honey " which Sauison 

 " took in his hands and went on eating," is fatal to 

 such an exposition. 



The ancients had another fancy respecting the 

 * Judges xiv. 8. 



