120 HONEY BEES OF CASHMERE. 



the inner platter of the tube, bringing into view the combs 

 suspended from the roof of the hive, and almost wholly 

 covered with bees, none of which, however, offered to resent 

 the aggression, or to enter the room. Having placed the 

 straw upon the charcoal, and holding the dish close to the 

 mouth of the hive, he blew the smoke strongly against the 

 combs, but removed the straw the instant it took fire, to 

 prevent it burning the bees, and quenched the flame before he 

 employed it again. Almost stifled by the smoke, the bees 

 hurried through the outer door with such rapidity that the 

 hive was cleared of its inhabitants within a few minutes; when 

 the farmer, introducing the sickle, cut down the combs nearest 

 to him, which were received into a dish previously slidden 

 underneath them, and left undisturbed about one-third of the 

 combs, which were almost close to the outer door. He then 

 replaced the inner platter, and brushing off hastily a few bees 

 which clung to the combs, though apparently in a state of 

 stupefaction, threw them out of the house. Observing many 

 other bees lying motionless on the floor of (he hive, I inquired 

 whether they were dead or only stupified, and was answered 

 that they would recover; however, I was not wholly satisfied 

 that this recovery would take place : preparations for continuing 

 my journey at a very early hour on the following morning 

 having unluckily prevented my examining the spot where they 

 had been thrown, until poultry had for some time been feeding 

 near it. The expelled bees returned as soon as the cavity was 

 freed from smoke, without stinging a single individual ; and 

 the whole business was completed within ten minutes, without, 

 as was asserted, any perceptible loss. The honey was light- 

 coloured, and of a taste as pure and sweet as that of Narbonne. 

 It possessed less of the cloying quality generally attending this 

 substance than any other I recollect to have met with ; and I 

 could not learn that the farmers had any suspicion of its ever 

 being intoxicating or poisonous, as is the case occasionally 

 with that made by the Bhoura (apis initahilis), or large wild-bee, 

 in the northern mountains of Gurwhal, from feeding, as it is 

 reported, on the flower of the monkshood. I was directed 

 more particularly to inquiry upon this subject, by having 

 observed this plant in flower in the valley of Runga, a few 

 miles to the eastward of the bee-district, and think it pro- 

 bable that it extends to these mountains. The peasantry of 



