Insects. f>07 



Description of a Bee-tree. By P. H. Gosse, Esq. 



In my pedestrian excursions through the forests of Alabama, I was 

 often accompanied by an intelligent youth of about seventeen. I call 

 him intelligent, for though he knew little (and cared less) about Xe- 

 nophon or Euclid, he had an open eye for the manceuvrings of the 

 recluse woodland creatures, and could hit a squirrel, twist a rabbit, 

 or tree a 'possum with most of his seniors. I had several times ob- 

 served him watching, with considerable interest, the flight of honey- 

 bees, and at length I ascertained his object. Like most of the trans- 

 atlantic youth, he was somewhat of an utilitarian, and I found that 

 his mind regarded not so much the amcenities of entomological sci- 

 ence, as the honey which he knew these bees produced. His keen 

 eye would catch the bee when above the tops of the trees, and know- 

 ing by its straight course that its flight w T as homeward, he would 

 quickly but surely mark its direction, and, if occasion permitted, would 

 pursue the line through the woods, occasionally " correcting his rec- 

 koning " by other bees, until the increasing numbers, and their con- 

 verging lines of approach, informed him of the proximity of their 

 home. A little perseverance now enabled him to detect the identical 

 tree which they had chosen, and to observe the orifice far up on its 

 trunk by which they entered. The nest being discovered, the hunter 

 carefully marked the spot, and returned for assistance to avail himself 

 of it. Many were thus found, and honey was plentiful. 



One day in July, some of the negroes on the estate at which I was 

 residing, having found a " bee-tree," I went with them to see them cut 

 it down. They carried two axes, some cotton for smoking the bees, 

 and a " gum," or square box to hive the swarm for domestication. On 

 arriving at the spot, but a few yards from the side of the high road, I 

 found that the nest was far up in the lofty stem of a large long-leafed 

 pine, {Pinus palustris). The negroes immediately lighted a little 

 fire, and then commenced felling the tree, one on each side. The 

 tree, as I have said, was large, but the negroes were skilful and sinewy; 

 not a blow was given in vain ; and soon the top was seen to quiver 

 tremulously, it bowed, and fell with a roar and a crash among the 

 bushes and saplings, snapping off its own stout limbs like glass, and 

 scattering the moist earth far over the leaves on every side. One of 

 the men instantly ran to the bee-hole, which was about three inches 

 in diameter, perfectly round, its edges smooth and white from the con- 

 tinual passage of the bees. Having lighted a handful of cotton, he 

 held it close to the hole, blowing in the smoke with his treath, to pre- 



