HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



91 



all tli€ other kinds of honey with which we are acquaint- 

 ed. The honey is taken from them fix times a year, 

 that is, once in every other month ; but the beft is that 

 which is got in November, being made from a fragrant 

 white flower Hke JefTamine, which blows in September, 

 called in that country Estahentun^ from which the honey 

 has derived its name (%'). The third fpecies refembles 

 in its form, the winged ants, but is fmaller than the 

 common bee, and without a fling. This infe61:, which 

 is peculiar to warm and temperate climates, forms nefts, 

 in fize and fhape refembling fugar-loavet, and even fome- 

 times greatly exceeding thefe in fize, which are fufpend- 

 ed from rocks, or from trees, and particularly from the 

 oak. The populoufnefs of thefe hives is much great- 

 er than of thofe of the common bee. The nymphs of 

 this bee, which are eatable, are white and round, like a 

 pearl. The honey is of a greyifli colour, but of a fine 

 ilavour. The fourth fpecies is a yellow bee, fmaller 

 than the common one, but, like it, furnifhed with a fling. 

 Its honey is not equal to thofe already mentioned. The 

 fifth, is a fmali bee without a fting, which conftrudls 

 hives of an orbicular form, in fubterraneous cavities ; 

 and the honey is four, and fomewhat bitter. The TlaU 

 ppiolU^ which is the fixth fpecies, is black and yellow, 

 of the fize of the common bee, but has no fling. 



Of wafps there are at leafl four kinds. The ^et- 

 %almiahuatl is the common wafp of Europe. The 'Jet- 

 latoca or wandering wafp, is fo called from its frequent 

 change of habitation ; and is always found employed in 

 colledling materials to build it. This wafp has a fling, 



but 



(z) The honey of Eftabentun, is in high eftimation with the Englifli and 

 French, who touch at the ports of Yucatan ; and I have known the French of 

 jGuarico buy it fometimes for the purpofe of fending it as a prefent to the king. 



