Mae HM BIN f Y¥-B Be eR 
the arrival of the Europeans in America, the P/antain was 
not known in the country. In like manner, when the In- 
dians call the honey~bee the white-man’s fly, it is evident 
that the mean to'convey an idea, that this infect is not a 
native of America, but that it has been introduced by the 
Europeans. Whenever the fouthern Indians fee the 
honey-bee in the woods, they immediately conclude that 
the whites will foon follow. 
Although Dr. Belknap believes that the honey-bee is 
a native of Mexico, and of the iflands, and that it had ex- 
tended itfelf as far to the northward as Florida and Geor- 
gia, yet he admits that this infe&t was not found in the 
more northern regions of America, previoufly to their dif- 
covery bythe Europeans. ‘* The firft European fettlement 
in Virginia’’, he obferves, ‘‘ was made about feventy years 
after the expedition of Soto, in Florida, and the firft fet- 
tlement in New-England, was ten years pofterior to that 
in Virginia. The large intermediate country was uncul- 
tivated for along timeafterward. The fouthern bees there 
fore could have no inducement to extend themfelves very 
far to the northward, for many years after the fettlements 
were begun; and within that time bees were imported 
from Europe*.” 
That the honey-bee is not a native of the northern parts 
of America is, I think, inconteftibly proved by a variety 
of circumftances. Thefe 1 fhall confider under the two 
heads of negative and pofitive evidences. 
Lawion does not mention this infect among the native 
animals of CarolinaT. 
The founder of Pennfylvania, in a long and intereft= 
ing letter which he wrote to his friends, in 7 ie year 1683, 
takes no notice of bees, It is evident to any one who 
{1-2 has 
* See the Differtation, page 122. 
+ See his Voyage to Carolina, &c. London 1704. ate; 
