MISCELLANEOUS NOTES 291 



manage to stagger along; her jaws, which had 

 become rigid, relaxed. The symptoms were 

 altogether those of poisoning. Next day, however, 

 she was herself again ; and I received emphatic 

 orders never to bring Starfishes there again. 



INSECT NOTES 



In the summer of 1894 a very old house, in one 

 of the poorest and most crowded parts of the town, 

 was pulled down in order to prevent its coming 

 down on its own initiative. For three or four years 

 previous a large swarm of bees had taken up their 

 quarters in a part of a chimney that was unused, 

 and when the wreckers commenced to unroof the 

 place they met with a rather hostile reception from 

 the wondering insects. One man was stung on the 

 eyelid, whilst other stings were distributed in a 

 most liberal manner. Numbers of the bees settled 

 upon the naked rafters, while others buzzed 

 threateningly around the despoilers' heads. A 

 hole was made in the chimney, and a bunch of 

 rags stuffed into the aperture, with sulphur and 

 paraffin, and set fire to. This had the effect 

 of stupefying the bees still at home, and adding an 



