102 Papers, [June, 



A calculation was made that from eggs laid by the two species 

 Scolytus major and minor, Steb. MS., in a deodar tree 100 ft. in height 

 to the spot where the crown commenced and 3 ft. in diameter at the base, 

 some 56,300 adults issued in July from eggs laid in April-May, due 

 allowance being made for a large mortality. These 56,300 beetles afc 

 once laid the eggs of the second generation in other trees, and taking but 

 50 per cent, of the resulting larvaa as arriving at maturity, the enormous 

 total of 1,550,000 adults is arrived at, all the result of the April eggs. 

 This shows the rapid rate at which these beetles increase under favour- 

 able conditions. 



6. Note about certain sections of the Kakars living in the Zhob Dis- 

 trict of Baluchistan. Collected by Rai Sahib Diwan Jamiat Rai, Spe- 

 cial Assistant to the Superintendent, Imperial Gazetteer, Baluchistan. 

 Communicated by the Anthropological Secretary. 



(Abstract.) 



The Kakars are an Afghan tribe in Baluchistan. They amount to 

 over one hundred thousand persons, and are to be found in the largest 

 numbers in Zhob, Quetta-Pishin, and Thal-Chotiali. The paper des- 

 cribes some social customs prevailing among the Mehtarzai and Sargara 

 sections of this tribe, especially cermonies at child-birth, betrothal and 

 marriage, rain-compelling charms, and other usages. It 'also gives a 

 legendary account of the origin of the Sanzar Khel section of the 

 Kakars, and a description of some of the primitive Kakar dwellings in 

 Tang Haidarzai. 



7. Exorcism of Wild Animals in the Sunderbans. — By D. Sunder, 

 Commissioner in the Sunderbans. Communicated by the Anthropologi- 

 cal Secretary. 



(Abstract.) 



This is an interesting account on the charms used by the fakirs in 

 the Sunderbans to chase away tigers. Between the months of October 

 and May crowds Of wood-cutters come in boats from Barisal, Khulna, 

 Faridpur, Calcutta, for the purpose of cutting timber. Their belief in 

 the power of the fakir to protect them against the attacks of wild ani- 

 mals, especially tigers, is to strong that nothing will induce them to 

 proceed to the jungles without their fakir, and no work is begun in the 

 forests by wood-cutters until the fakir has gone through his charms and 

 incantations, and has performed his pujas for the dispersion of all nox- 

 ious animals. These are described with great detail. T lie prayers are 

 directed to a curious mixture of gods and godlings. We find there Jaga- 

 bandhu, Mahadev, Monsha (the goddess of Serpents), Rupapori (a 



