FEOM THE NOETH-WEST PROVINCES OF INDIA. 183 



number. I opened many of these, and found them to contain beautifully preserved re- 

 mains of bees in various stages, whatever their age may have been at the time of death. 



The grub of Oalleria mellolella^ the moth above referred to, is of a dull green, very 

 circular, and somewhat tough ; and it appears to eat the young bees, the bee-bread, 

 honey, or wax, as may come most handy. 



I will now give a few instances of their disposition: — 



" A curious accident occurred at this place on Sunday last. A number of bees had 

 built upon the cornice round the tower of the church of St. Paul's, in the Civil Lines, 

 just below the steeple. On Sunday, after the morning service, the bees, disturbed 

 either by a pellet or a stone thrown into their midst, or from some other cause, suddenly 

 attacked a pair of horses in a carriage and stung them so severely that both the animals 

 died the next day. The coachman also was severely stung. It was considered unsafe 

 to hold divine service in the church again that day." — Agra, April 14, 1867. 



On another occasion my camp was pitched at Soj, October 19, 1866, under a large 

 Peepul tree. In the camp was my riding elephant, which animal is very fond of the 

 leaves and small boughs of this tree. To enable him to enjoy them he was fastened 

 under the tree, which he shook considerably in his endeavour to break off branches ; 

 this disturbed a nest of bees who had an enormous comb high on one of the branches. 

 At first three or four bees came down to see ; they flew back, and brought down some 

 fifty or sixty with them : these did not attack the Elephant, but stung almost every one 

 in camp, cattle grazing near, and even a stray dog, which I think they killed. 



The strangest thing was that a man lying quite unprotected and fast asleep (named 

 Cheda), clad with only a waistcloth, was quite unmolested ; and I have often employed 

 him to take the nests of aculeate hymenoptera for me, as they do not harm him, what- 

 ever he does. How is this to be accounted for'? The natives say that he smells 

 offensively to insects. 



I will give two more instances. The bees, in February 1865, had formed their comb 

 on a large tree near the old bridge (on the Grand Trunk Road at Mainpuri) over the 

 river Esa, in a grove of trees at the road-side where travellers usually encamp when 

 marching. My servants were so encamped when attacked by the bees, who had pro- 

 bably been disturbed by the smoke of their cooking-fires. 



As Hindoos eat very lightly clad, they got sorely stung. One was nearly drowned in 

 the river in his endeavours to keep under the water and so evade them ; another ran 

 between two and three miles, and was found by the villagers (who took him for a 

 maniac) sitting on the ground throwing sand over himself. 



It is generally an hour or two ere quiet is restored ; and the pertinacity of the insects 

 in following a person is very extraordinary. They espy the smallest bare spot and 

 instantly implant their stings. 



They also cause great annoyance, and disfigure old buildings, such as the Taj Mehal 

 at Agra, with their pendent combs. Many vain attempts have been made to clear them 



