APPENDIX. rul- 



ing them. Honey is the principal food of all ranks of peo- 

 ple in Abyflinia, and confequentiy a multitude of bees are 

 produced everywhere. . Part of thefe are kept in large ca- 

 ges, or bafkets, hung upon the trees ; others attach them- 

 felves to the branches, others build nefts in the foft wood 

 of the trees, efpecially the Bohabab, whole large and frag- 

 rant flower furnifhes them with a' honey which it flrongly 

 perfumes. The honey generally borrows its colour from 

 the flowers and herbs from whence it is gathered. At Dix- 

 an we were furprifed to fee the honey red like blood, and 

 nothing can have an appearance more difgufting than this, 

 when mixed with melted butter. There are bees which 

 build in the earth, whofe honey is nearly black, as has been 

 obferved by, the jefuit Jerome Lobo, I willingly place this 

 truth to his credit, the only one, I think, 1 can find in his 

 natural hiftory, a fmall atonement for the multitude of 

 faifehoods this vain and idle romancer has told on every 

 occafion. Nor are the granivorous birds fewer in number 

 or worfe provided for ; all the trees and fhrubs in Abyffinia 

 bear flowers, and confecuiently feeds, berries, or fruit, of 

 fome kind or other ; food for all or fome particular fpecies 

 of birds. Every tree and bufh carries thefe likewife in all 

 ilages of ripenefs, in all ieafons of the year, . 



This is, however, not to be underftood as meaning that 

 any tree produces in the fame part, fruit or flowers more 

 than once a-year ; but the time of each part's bearing is 

 very particularly diftributed. The well fide of every tree 

 is the firit that bloilbins, there its fruit proceeds in all 

 ftages of ripenefs till it falls to the ground. It is fucceed- 

 ed by the fouth, which undergoes -the fame procefs. Frcra 

 this it crolles the tree, and ihc north is next in fruit ; laft 



%- of." 



