Bees.

Before the introduction of the English bee the blacks sought and obtained "native honey" in great quantities. The native bee is not much larger than a house-fly, and posseses no sting. They construct their nests in the hollows of trees. On account of their small size it is a difficult matter to discover this nest. Flies innumerable hover around these trees, and the practised eye alone of a blackfellow can detect the existence of the native bee. He closely examines every fallen leaf and blade of grass beneath the tree, so as to recognize, if possible, any spots or marks made by them, when, if satisfied as to the existence of a nest, he ascends the tree as already described, and either cuts off the limb or extracts the honey through a hole.

The honey and comb differ much from those of the English bee. The honey is a thin, watery syrup, very sweet, and possessing a wild, peculiar taste. It is stowed away in irregularly made pockets or cells, made of a dirty-looking sort of wax. They squeeze this honey in a "cooliman" or native bucket, and mix it with water. A ball of soft ribbon bark is then sopped in it and sucked by each blackfellow in turn.