INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS. 127 



who, towards the end of the past century, enunciated his ideas on the connexion 

 of flowers and insects, ; that some insects are useful for the fertilisation of flowers, 

 and in a few cases the latter are absolutely indebted to insects for their pro- 

 pagation ; the red clover, for instance, would not produee any seed at all if it 

 were not for the good offices of the humble bee, which, being provided with an 

 elongated proboscis, is able to effect an entrance into the flower to extract the 

 nectar, and thus carries with it the pollen, which is inserted in the flower next 

 visited by it. And with reference to this, who amongst us, I ask, has not read 

 the following beautiful lines of Cowper in his " Task, The Garden "? 



" Large foliage, overshadowing golden ilowers, 

 Blown on the summit of the apparent fruit. 



These have their sexes, and when summer shines 

 The bee transports the fertilizing meal 



From flower to flower, and even the breathing air 

 Wafts the rich prize to its apparent use." 

 But while the function of the nectar or honey generated in the flower is doubtless 

 designed by Nature to allure insects, and thereby to insure cross fertilisation, as 

 just pointed out, by far the greater number of species of insects do not subsist 

 simply on this saccharine secretion ; they feed on the tender leaves and flowers.and 

 imbibe the very life-blood or sap of the growing plants, as well as devour the seed 

 while yet in its embryotic state, which often, in the case of the rice-crop, for 

 instance, causes a partial failure of this food-grain, and contributes to some extent 

 to scarcity and famine. For instance, the sis poka, whenever there is cloudy 

 weather, attacks the paddy crops and causes great injury by eating the sis or "ear" 

 of the paddy grain, whence it derives its name. Next the mau poka or " honey 

 insect," which devours the seed in its embrj'otic state, and leaves no grain at all, 

 but only the husk or chaff, — not cum grano salis, as I speak from an extensive 

 personal experience; I hope I do not tire your patience, but may be permitted to 

 relate here an amusing illustration of this fact. A late Lieutenant-Governor of 

 Bengal, the versatile Sir Richard Temple, mentioned to me some years ago, on his 

 arrival at Khulna after his inspection of that tract of country in Eastern Bengal, 

 which was then devastated by the cylcone, that the Deputy Magistrate, 

 Bagerhat had informed him, that the reason of the paddy that season being in 

 certain parts of bis sub-division all in husk and having no grain, was owing to 

 these insects having, as he expressed it, "drunk up the milk of the seed of the 

 rice-crops there" : Sir Richard, of course, was at a loss to understand what was 

 really meant, when I explained to him what I have above shewn. 



Perhaps some persons may be inclined to think that the preservation of 

 insectivorous birds would result in the total extermination of all insects, useful 

 and destructive alike, so I may point out that Nature, in her wise provision for 

 the protection of all things created, has happily provided against such a contin- 

 gency, by supplying to those insects most exposed to danger from birds, forms 

 and colours assimilating to the plants on which they are found, and that they thus 

 obtain some appreciable protection from their enemies of the feathered tribe : the 

 most striking illustrations of insects being in some measure insured against danger 

 by their similarity to plants are of course those of grasshoppers walking leaf- 



