1020 MR, ,A. LOVERIDGE : NOTES ON 



through" the water and scrambling up a very steep bank. Nearly 

 all the men were wavhig their helmets wildly about tlieir 

 heads, which was probably a mistake, as most of the stings 

 received proved to be upon the head. I myself received between 

 fifteen and twenty — two of these were on my arms, one on a 

 finger, the rest were about the ears and on the head. 

 . Wo stampeded for a quarfcer-of-a-mile before pulling up in 

 answer to the blowing of a whistle — it was a good thing that 

 none of the enemy was about to take advantage of our disorder. 

 As we formed up into squadrons one of the ofticers rode down the 

 line asking for me, as he knew that I carried a pair of ento- 

 mological forceps and he wanted a sting removed from just below 

 the eye. One man, who had dropped his helmet and gone back to 

 fetch it, claimed to have a hundred stings ; sixty were removed 

 by a friend of his that day, and I took out eleven the following 

 morning. The stings were much more severe than those of an 

 English wasp, and the unpleasant eflects lasted from 24 to 

 48 hours. The pex^son of a hundred stings had the site of each 

 marked with a purple spot. One of mine liad a dark clot of 

 blood at the site of puncture, and there was a swelling for 

 six inches around this ; the other stings I received caused scarcely 

 any swelling. The nest must liave been dependent from one of 

 the branches overhanging the river, and I imngine that someone 

 had brushed against it. (Nr. Moshi, 13. iii. 16.) 



At Handeni an Indian was stung to death. The unfortunate 

 tnan had entered a deserted banda in which was a bee's nest, and 

 the swarm had attacked him ; it is surmised tliat he tripped 

 and fell, for when found he was lying unconscious by the roadside 

 and expired shortly afterwards. I was told that a couple of mules 

 were stung to death near the same spot. When at Morogoro, 

 a monkey was brought to me that had been stung to death by 

 bees. At the time of attack it was chained to a pole, and though 

 several persons made gallant attempts to i-escue it they failed. 

 On removing its skin there was scarcely a square inch of its body 

 unmarked by a sting, the surface of the flesh being covered with 

 blood. 



A swarm entered my monkey's box, which was fixed on a 

 tall pole ; the animal became excited and received two stings, on 

 eyebrow and neck respectively. It was rescued by my boy, who 

 l-eceived three stings ; three other natives who were passing also 

 got stung. At 5 p.m. a Kavirondo dug out the pole and, balancing 

 it on his shoulder, walked through the camp with it ; on nearing 

 the incinerator the bees got excited and, buzzing about his face, 

 caused his nerve at last to give way, so that he dropped both pole 

 arid box and fied incontinently. It so happened that the box 

 containing the irate bees fell in the vicinity of the native latrine', 

 an'di the rapid exit of boys from the place in various states of 

 attire caused much merriment amongst their fellows. A sting 

 which I i-eceived upon my cheek took three days to subsidy. 

 "(MorpgorOj^O.ii. 18.) 



