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of moths, and nocturnal visitors; but especially the lampyris, or 
fire-flies, which glitter by thousands in the dark recesses of the 
banian-tree; and in perpetual motion on the external branches of 
the spreading tamarind, produce a singular and brilliant effect. 
The locusts, which are so much dreaded in many parts of Hiti- 
dostan, are seldom seen on Bombay: but the creeping-leaf, and 
some others of the mantis class, are extremely curious. 
India also abounds with wasps and bees; the latter build their 
nests in rocky caverns and ho!low r trees, and produce plenty of 
wax and honey; but the best is brought from Muscat, and different 
parts of Arabia. The bees are sometimes very troublesome and 
dangerous, and often annoyed us in our visits to the caves at Sal- 
sette and the Elephanta; where they make their combs in the 
clefts of the rocks, and in the recesses among the figures, and 
hang in immense clusters: I have known a whole party put to the 
rout in the caverns of Salsette, and obliged to return with their 
curiosity unsatisfied, from having imprudently fired a gun to dis- 
perse the bees, who in their rage pursued them to the bottom of 
the mountains. 
I am surprized that commentators on the scriptures have per- 
plexed themselves about the food of John the Baptist in the wil- 
derness; which we are informed consisted of locusts and wild honey; 
and for which the cassia-fistula, or locust-tree, and many other sub- 
stitutes have been mentioned: but it is well known that locusts 
are an article of food in Persia and Arabia, at the present day ; 
they are fried until their wings and legs fall off, and in that stale 
are sold in the markets, and eaten with rice and dates, sometimes 
