I'XJTED STATES OF AMERICA. 361 



The beautiful appearance produced by the Fire-fly has excited the 

 admiration of all the travellers in America. On a summer's evening 

 they are seen in myriads along the meadows and woods. The light 

 they produce is very brilliant, varying in magnitude according to the 

 state of the atmosphere. It is produced and vanishes suddenly like 

 the flash of a pistol. Glow-worms are also very numerous in the 

 summer and autumn. 



One of the most troublesome of the American insects is the Mos- 

 quito ; they are very numerous in swamps, on the low banks of creeks 

 and rivers, and on the seashore. From these places however they 

 make excursions into all parts of the country, and are frequently very 

 troublesome in the cities. On the Mississippi they are innumerable. 



Their bite is very irritating, and is followed by inflammation and 

 swelling. Many species of flies, spiders, beetles, grasshoppers, 

 crickets, butterflies, wasps, hornets,, bees, ants, &c. abound in the 

 United States. 



