LET. 1x.] ENTOMOLOGIZING, 35
LETTER THE NINTH.
August 16th,
I Have heen trying to entomologize, as there are abundance of curious insects. Mr. Spence himself told me, before I left home, that the insects of India were very little known; and that I could not fail te find many new specimens, especially among the smaller Coleoptera. It is impossible to go ‘ & ta chasse” oneself, so I employed the begear-hoys, who at first liked the anrusement and brought mee great many. but they gradually grew tired of it, and are now too lazy to find me any more at all. I raised my price, but all in vain. These naked imps prefer sitting on the grass all day with nothing to do, erampled np and looking like tadpoles, and will not give themselves the trouble even to put out their paws to take an insect if he crosses their path. They are indeed a lazy race. The servants lie on their mats, strewing the floor like cats and dogs, and begin to puff and whine whenever ane gives them any employment, The truest account of their occupations was given me in her blundering English by my muddle. said, “ Ellen, what are you deing? why don’t you come when I call you?’? “ No, ma'am.” ‘ What are you doing, I say?” Ma’‘am, I never do;” meaning, “I am doing nothing.” However, sometimes they contrive io do mischief. I found my watch stopped; [ suid, “ Ayah, how did you break my watch? did you knock it?’’—“ Ma’am, a little I knock, not too much !”
We are now living at St. Thome, a sort of suburb of Madras, close by the sea-side, and comparatively cool. We are really now not oppressed by heat; I could not have supposed such a short distance could have made so much difference: the thermometer is at 84°, which is quite bearable after one has tried 92°. But St. Thome is not thought healthy the whole year through, because the “long-shore winds,” as they are called, are more felt here
B2
