Pie or. ONE YB EE: 245: 
nie*.” Of thefe pots, two hundred-are depicted in one 
tribute-roll, and one hundred in feveral others}.” 
The learned: Abbé Clavigero confirms this account, in: 
his excellent Hiffory of Mexico, lately publifhed. He in- 
forms us that the Mexican kings received as a: tributary 
payment, a part of every ufcful produGion, both of nature. 
and art, and, among other articles of revenue, he menti= 
ons fix hundred cups of honey, which were annually paid 
by the inhabitants of. the fouthern parts of the empire of 
Mexicof. 
Inthe firt: book of his work, which is devoted to the: 
natural hiftory of the country, Clavigero mentions fix: 
different fpecies of honey-making bees, four of which are 
faid to:be deftitute of ftings: one of the two others, he: 
fays, ‘‘ agrees with the common bee of Europe, not only’ 
in fize,.fhape and colour; but alfo in its-difpolition and- 
manners; and in the qualities of its honey and wax§’’. 
In anfwer to thefe objections of Dr. Belknap, it is ob-- 
vious to remark, that as there are, at leaft, fix diftinG fpe- 
cies of honey-making bees in Mexico, five of which are 
faid, by Clavigero, to be different from the apis mellifica,- 
or true. honey=bee of Europe, we are certainly not war-- 
ranted to conclude,- that the honey which was paid in tri-. 
bute to the monarchs of Mexico, was the fabric of this: 
moft important {pecies of the family. 
I.will not deny that the true honey-bee is now found 
in Mexico; not only becaufe fo refpeCtable an author as: 
Clavigero has aflerted that itis, or at leaft a bee agreeing - 
with it, but becaufe we can hardly fuppote that the Spani- 
ards, in the long period of more than two centuries and 
an half, would have, neglected to introduce an animal of. 
fo 
* Purchas. Vol. iv. 
+ See the Differtation, p. 128)? 
+ See book vii. p.. 354. 
§ Book I, p. 68. 
