66 On the POISONOUS HONEY 



authors froin what flowers the bees extraft this honey. 

 Here is what we have learned of the matter. In thofe 

 parts, there is a plant called xgolethron, whofe flowers, 

 in a wet fpring acquire a very dangerous quality, when 

 they fade. The honey which the bees make of them is 

 more liquid than ufual, more heavy, and redder. Its 

 fmell caufes fneezing. Thofe who have eaten of it fweat 

 exceffively, lie upon the ground, and call for nothing 

 but cool drinks.*" He then makes the very remarks 

 which I have quoted from Diofcorides, whcfe words, in- 

 deed, as Mr. Tournefort obferves,he feems to have mere- 

 ly tranflated. The following remark, however, appears 

 to belong to Pliny. '' Upon the fame coaft of the Fon- 

 tus, there is found another fort of honey, which is called 

 moenomenon-f-, becaufe thofe who eat of it arc rendered 

 mad. It is fiippofed, the bees colled: it from the flowers 

 of the rhododendros, which is common among the 

 forefts. The people of thofe parts, although they pay 

 the Romans a part of their tribute in wax, are very cau- 

 tious how they offer them their honey J." 



The Greeks and the Romans have often defcribed the 

 various plants that were known to them, in fuch dark and 

 obfcure terms, that the botanifts of modern times are 

 frequently at a lofs to determine, not merely the fpecies 

 but alfo the genus the ancient writers have mentioned. 

 With refpect, however, to the plants which I have juft 

 mentioned, the diflSculty does not feem to be great. Mr. 

 Tournefort has, i think, fliown, in a very fatisfaftory 

 manner, that the xgolethron of Pliny is the chamas- 

 rhododendros pontica maxima, Mefpili folio, flore luteo 

 of his Injiitutioncs^ a plant fmce defcribed by Linnaeus, 



and 



* C. Plinii Seciindi Naturalis Hiftoriae Lib. XXI. cap. xiii. 

 f From die Greek verb, Manuka/, infanio. 

 t Itid. 



