HABITS OF ROSE CHAFE11S. 77 



endorsement" glittering amongst the roses as they revel in their 

 hearts, are objects to the full as pleasing. By keeping them 

 we are likely also to inform ourselves on the little-known 

 subject of insect economy. We find, for instance, that our 

 chafers of the rose, contrary to the usage of the cock- chafer, go 

 to bed with the sun ; and just as the majority of beetles, which 

 have lurked all day under leafy coverts, stones, and in other 

 darksome hiding-places, begin to wheel their drowsy flight, 

 adniidst the shades of evening, these lovers of the light retire 

 with its disappearance, and about sunset regularly hide them- 

 selves,, for the night, either beneath their roses, or within the 

 bed of light earth with which their basket cage is furnished. 

 We fancy also that by observation of our chafer's ways we 

 have gained also a little insight into their characters, as socially 

 considered. Though their earthen bed is spacious as a " bed of 

 Ware " they are almost invariably, when retired for the night, 

 to be found lying side by side, and, though little enough of 

 animal warmth is likelv to be transferable through their coats 



v O 



of mail, they must certainly derive some sense of comfort from 

 proximity. 



That these little creatures, possessed of no audible voice 

 except the loud shrill buzz of their powerful wings while passing 

 through the air or lighting on a rose, have yet a language of 

 their own a mode of communication and a way of influencing 

 each other's movements was further proved to us by the fol- 

 lowing circumstance. 



p 2 



