268 SOJIE NOXIOUS INSECTS. 



Mr. J. Baines was hospitably entertained in the hut of 

 a Kafir chief. During the night he was awakened by 

 the most intolerable pricking sensations all over his 

 body. On starting up he found that his host, with the 

 kindest intentions, had spread his own kaross, or fur 

 cloak, over his guest. The kaross was swarming with 

 vermin, and they had taken full advantage of their good 

 fortune in finding such a victim. He was obliged to go 

 out of the hut into the open air, and clear himself and 

 his clothes of his tormentors, before he could hope for 

 rest. Yet the oAvner of the kaross could have felt no 

 inconvenience from them, or he would not have trans- 

 ferred them to his guest. 



A curiously similar incident is recorded in the " Ara- 

 bian Nights " (Lane's edition). 



In the story of Noureddin and the Fair Persian, the 

 Caliph is represented as meeting a fisherman, and ex- 

 changing clothes with him for the purpose of disguising 

 himself the more effectually. Scarcely had the change 

 been effected than the Caliph felt himself bitten in all 

 quarters, and cried out with pain. The fisherman, 

 accustomed from childhood to consider the presence of 

 vermin as a necessary adjunct of existence, simply 

 advises the Caliph to take no notice of them, but to 

 allow them to go on biting until he was accustomed to 

 them, and he would feel them no longer. 



Clean skins and clothing are inconsistent with vermin ; 

 and, indeed, a theory has not been wanting that the 

 parasites in 'question are directly beneficial to the n/>n- 



