C H A R A C T E R S. 



611 



it flies, but none at all when it 

 sleeps, as the phosphorus part is 

 then covered with opaque mem- 

 branes. Near the eyes arc two 

 small webs of fibres, and upon the 

 belly is one somewhat larger, of a 

 thin transparent substance, which 

 are full of luminous matter, afford- 

 ing a light strong enough to read 

 by, and to shew the way to those 

 who travel at night. The lumi- 

 nous matter is a white, meally, 

 viscid substance, which preserves 

 its quality after it has been taken 

 from the body of the cucullo, and 

 one may draw shining characters 

 with it upon a hat. There are 

 great numbers of these flying 

 phosphori upon the sea-coasts, 

 which, seen on the neighbouring 

 hills at night, form a very beauti- 

 ful and brilliant spectacle. The 

 boys easily catch them by waving 

 a light in the evening ; the in- 

 sects drawn or attracted by it, 

 come into their hands. The temo- 

 lin is a large beetle, of a most dis- 

 agreeable form, and a reddish 

 cnesnutcolour, with six hairy feet, 

 and four toes upon each. 



Of bees there are six kinds. 

 The first is like the common bee 

 of Europe in size, shape, colour, 

 disposition and habits, and in the 

 quality of its honey and wax. 

 The second species is without a 

 sting ; it makes the fine clear ho- 

 ney of estabentun, of an aromatic 

 flavour, superior to all the other 

 kinds which are at present known. 

 The honey is taken from them six 

 times a year, that is, once in two 

 months ; but the best is that which 

 is got in November, being made 

 from a fragrant white flower like 

 the jessamine, which blows in 

 September, and is called in that 

 eountrj estabentun, from whence 



the honey has derived its name. 

 The third species of bee is smaller 

 than the bees of Europe, and 

 without a sting; it forms nests in 

 size and shape resembling sugar- 

 loaves. The populousness of these 

 hives is much greater than those 

 of the common bee. The honey 

 is of a greyish colour, but of a 

 very fine flavour, and greatly es- 

 teemed. The fourth species is a 

 yellow bee, smaller than the com- 

 mon bee, but is furnished with a 

 sting; its honey is not equal to 

 the three species of bees before 

 mentioned. The fifth species is a 

 small bee, without a sting, which 

 constructs hives of an orbicular 

 form, in subterraneous cavities, and 

 the honey is sour, and somewhat 

 bitter. The halpipolli, which is 

 the sixth species, is black and yel- 

 low, of the size of the common 

 European bee, but has no sting : 

 its honey has a very disagreeable 

 taste and flavour. 



Of wasps, there are at least four 

 kinds. The quetzalmiahuatl is 

 the common wasp of Europe. The 

 tetlatoca, or wandering wasp, so 

 called from its frequent change of 

 habitation, has a sting, but makes 

 no honey or wax. The xicotli, 

 xicote, is a thick black wasp with 

 a yellow belly, which makes a 

 sweet honey, in holes made by it 

 in the walls ; it is provided with B 

 strong sting, which gives a very 

 painful wound, The cuicalmfa- 

 huatl has likewise a sting, but does 

 not make honey. 



The quauhxicotli, is a black 

 hornet with a red tail, whose sting 

 is so large and strong, as not only to 

 go through a sugar-cane, but even 

 to pierce into the trunk of a tree. 

 Among the flies, besides the 

 common fly, which is neither so 

 2 R 2 



