470 Natural Histurij in foreign Countries : — 



king, wlio, for a dessert, instead of fruit, set before bis Grecian 

 guests a roasted worm taken from a plant, probably the larva of 

 this insect, which he says the Indians esteem very delicious : a 

 character that was confirmed by some of the Greeks who tasted 

 it. Madam Merian, in her Lisects of Surinam^ has figured one 

 of these larvae, and says that the natives of Surinam roast and 

 eat them as something very exquisite. A friend of mine, who 

 has resided a good deal in the West Indies, where the palm 

 grub is called grugru, informs me that the late Sir John La 

 i'orey, who was somewhat of an epicure, was extremely fond 

 of it v/hen properly cooked." 



In Kirby and Spence's tables of the comparative magni- 

 tudes of insects (in their vol. iii. p. 33. to 37.), mention is made 

 of a new species of Calandra^ preserved in MacLeay's mu- 

 seum, which is 3| in. in length and 1 in. in breadth. — J. D. 



Facts and Observatiojzs in Natural History. — Sir, A gentle- 

 man having put into my hands a quarto copy of White's 

 Natural History of Selborne, with a request that 1 would, in 

 the course of my reading it, write on the margin of its leaves 

 any facts or observations which might have come in my way 

 relative to similar subjects, most of the following notes were 

 written accordingly. Those which relate to White's remarks 

 have the particular page of White's book in which they were 

 first written affixed to them. I am, Sir, yours, &c. — William 

 SellSi Surgeon, M.R.C.S. Ki?igsto72, Surrey, January 1. 1832. 



[The principal part of these notes relate to animals of 

 Jamaica. A note on wild ducks will be found under North 

 America, p. 452, and the remainder under Collectanea, 

 in our next Number. — J. Z).] 



Bats. {White's Selborne, p. 93.) Bats of the ordinary size 

 are very numerous in Jamaica ; they are found in mills and 

 old houses, especially such as are little occupied : they do great 

 mischief in gardens, where they eat the green peas, opening the 

 pod over each pea, and removing it very dexterously. 



[The above mention of bats feeding on vegetables induces 

 here the introduction of two extracts, which seem to contest 

 that point, at least as far as the vampire bat of India and that 

 of South America are concerned. Bishop Heber says : — 

 " The vampire bat of India is a very harmless creature, of 

 habits entirely different from the formidable idea entertained 

 of it in England. It only eats fruit and vegetables, and indeed 

 its teeth are not indicative of carnivorous habits; and from 

 blood it turns away when offered to it. During the daytime 

 it is, of course, inert ; but at night it is lively, affectionate, and 

 playful, knows its keeper, but has no objection to the approach 

 and touch of others." {Bishop Heher .) These remarks, how- 

 ever, on the vampire of India do not correspond with Waterton's 



