OF NORTH AMERICA. S3 



fifts, to an aflonifliing degree, the efFedls of the narcotick 

 and other poifonous vegetables that are beft known to 

 us, fo we need not wonder, that it alfo refills the effed;s 

 of the deleterious honey, which is procured from fuch 

 vegetables. 



It deferves to be mentioned, that the honey v>'hich 

 is formed by two different hives of bees in the fame 

 tree, or at a little diftance from each other, often pof- 

 fefles the moft oppofite properties. Nay, the honey from 

 the fame individual comb is fometimes not lefs different 

 in tafte, in colour, and in its effcd:s. Thus one ftratum 

 or portion of it may be eaten without the leaft incon- 

 venience, whilft that which is immediately adjacent to 

 it (hall occaiion the fever al effeds which 1 have jull 

 enumerated. 



1 have taken fome pains to learn what are the figns 

 by which the deleterious honey may, at firfl: view, be 

 diftinguiflied from innocent honey. 1 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 reddiflr- 

 brown colour, and of a thick'=r confiftence than common 

 innocent honey. 



Thefe are the figns by which, I am told, the m.oft 

 experienced hunters, in the fouthern parts of North- 

 America, are enabled to diftinguifli pernicious from in- 

 nocent honey. 



On a fubjed: 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 

 ufeful information from hunters, however wandering 

 their life, however rude their manners. It is in the 

 power of our hunters to enrich natural hiftory with 

 many important fads. But we ought not, I prefume, 

 to confide implicitly in every thing they tell us. 



I have 



