An Account of a Strange Sort of Bees in the West-Indies, Communicated by M. I.

An Account of a strange sort of Bees in the West-Indies, communicated by M. I. A Friend of mine, Monsieur de Villermont, informs me, that he has received from America, a sort of Hony-Comb, (of a different make from the European,) which is composed of small Bottles, or Bladders of Wax, of a brownish colour, inclining to black: being as big as Olives, and shap't like the Spanish Olives. They hang together in Clusters, almost like a Bunch of Grapes, and are so contrived, that each of them has an Aperture during the time of work, but it is clost up, as soon as the Vessel of Wax is filled with Hony; and then the Bees go to work at another Vessel. Their Lodgings are ordinarily taken up in a hollow Tree, or the Cavity of a Rock, by the Sea side; these being the properest places to secure them from such Animals, as are greedy of their Honey, and therefore likely to molest them; and they have the more need of this Caution, because they are more liable to be disturbed, than ordinary Bees, as having no Stings, and being capable of doing good, but no hurt to any thing, as the Party that lived at Cayenne, very well knows. When the Combs are removed, they must be carryed gently, and in the same Position they lay in till you come to the place, where you design to take out the Honey. The Honey itself is clear, and liquid as Rock-water, and hardly to be distinguisht from it, by the sight; when you would take it out, you must pierce every bottle, with the Thorn of a wild Palm, or a Pin, a little more then from the bottom; for if you pierce it lower, you find a bottom or sediment, whose thickness would hinder it from running: as you prick every Bottle, you have some Vessel ready, to receive what comes from it. My Friend tells tells me, he thinks, the liquor is one of the most agreeable things in the world. If you drink fasting, the quantity of a good Glass, or about half a pint, it will give you 2 or 3 stools, in about 2 hours time, according to the temperament of the Party; but if you drink it at Meals, it does not purge at all. My friend has also a sort of Cinnamon, which comes from Guardaloupe, which is white; and another sort, which comes from Maragnan, which is like that of Cillon. He promises to shew me, that Ambergrise is nothing but the wax, mixt with the Honey, which falls into the Sea, and is beat about in the Waves, between the Tropics. He has an Ear of the small Melium of Guinee, about 10 Inches long, made just like the great knob of a Cane; the Grains are no bigger than a pins head, and are very good to eat, the Negros making their finer Cakes of them. Monsieur Villermont having lately sent over one of these Hony-combs; care has been taken, for the designing, and engraving it; 'tis represented Fig 1. Only allowance must be made for some of the Bottles having been broken in carriage.