VOL. LXVII.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 129 



retiring to a neighbouring bush or other resting-place, the hunters are sure of 

 finding the bees nest in that identical spot, whether it be in a tree, or in the 

 crevice of a rock, or, as is most commonly the case, in the earth. While the 

 hunters are busy in taking the honey, the bird is seen looking on attentively to 

 what is going forward, and waiting for its share of the spoil. The bee-hunters 

 never fail to leave a small portion for their conductor, but commonly take care 

 not to leave so much as would satisfy its hunger. The bird's appetite being 

 only whetted bv this parsimony, it is obliged to commit a second treason, by 

 discovering another bees nest, in hopes of a better salary. It is further observed, 

 that the nearer the bird aproaches the hidden hive, the more frequently it repeats 

 its call, and seems more impatient. 



While in the interior parts of Africa, a nest was shown to Dr. S., which' some 

 peasants assured him was the nest of a honey-guide. It was woven of slender 

 filaments or fibres of bark, in the form of a bottle. The neck and opening 

 hung downwards, and a string in an arched shape was suspended across the open- 

 ing, fastened by the two ends, perhaps for the bird to perch on.* 



VI. An Account of some new Electrical Experiments. By Mr. Tiberius 



Cavallo. p. 48. 



This paper may be consulted in the 2d vol. of Mr. Cavallo's Electricity, the 

 3d edition, 1786. 



VII. A Third Essay on Sea Anemonies. By the Abbe Dicquemare. p. 56. 

 In this paper the Abbe Dicquemare observes, that sea anemonies, having 

 their bases unequally extended upon and fixed to the hard substance of rocks, &c. 

 do often contract, and thus tear off and leave on the above hard substance one 

 or more small shreds of their bases, covered with pieces of the old coat of the 

 animal, and that these shreds soon after become small anemonies. This singular 

 circumstance he has often had occasion to observe, having been very attentive 

 and assiduous in observations of this nature. This process is completed in less 

 than three months, when the small anemonies thus produced from shreds or 

 fragments may be considered as perfect. After having observed the strips or 

 small fragments thus naturally detached from the animals to be capable of grow- 

 ing into new and complete ones, the Abbe severed with the point of a knife 

 several small pieces from the basis of several sea anemonies, at the places where 

 their base seemed most extended while adhering to oyster-shells, &c. and putting 



• In abridging this paper we have taken the liberty of substituting the specific character of the 

 bird from Mr. Latham's Index Ornitliologicus for the tedious, and now useless descriptive character 

 detailed by Dr. Sparrman. 



VOL. XIV. S 



