NATURAL HISTORY 



fields, and on sunny banks. Honey bees, humble bees, 

 and wasps, were his prey wherever he found them : he 

 had no apprehensions from their stings, but would seize 

 them nudis manibus, and at once disarm them of their 

 weapons, and suck their bodies for the sake of their 

 honey-bags. Sometimes he w r ould fill his bosom be- 

 tween his shirt and his skin with a number of these 

 captives: and sometimes would confine them in bottles. 

 He was a very Merops Apiaster, or bee-bird ; and very 

 injurious to men that kept bees; for he would slide into 

 their bee-gardens, and, sitting down before the stools, 

 would rap with his finger on the hives, and so take the 

 bees as they came out. He has been known to over- 

 turn hives for the sake of honey, of which he was pas- 

 sionately fond. Where metheglin was making he would 

 linger round the tubs and vessels, begging a draught of 

 what he called bee-wine. As he ran about he used to 

 make a humming noise with his lips, resembling the 

 buzzing of bees. This lad was lean and sallow, and of 

 a cadaverous complexion ; and, except in his favourite 

 pursuit, in which he was wonderfully adroit, discovered 

 no manner of understanding. Had his capacity been 

 better, and directed to the same object, he had perhaps 

 abated much of our wonder at the feats of a more 

 modern exhibiter of bees ; and we may justly say of 

 him now, 



- Thou, 



Had thy presiding star propitious shone, 

 Shouldst ll il.lHian be." 



When a tall youth, he was removed from hence to a 

 distant village, where he died, as I understand, before 

 he arrived at manhood. 



I am, &c. 



