204 [February, 



to plant sugar-cane, coffee, rice, maize, tobacco, &c.) is often alive 

 with beetles — Phyfojjhaga, Carahidce {Onypterygia) , Seteromera (^Sta- 

 tira), Hemiptera, &c. ; a " platanal " (plantation of bananas or plan- 

 tains), if in a damp place, is sure to be productive, the withered or 

 dead hanging leaves forming first-rate traps for all kinds of insects — 

 moths, heeiXes, Hemijjtet^a^&Q.. (as well as spiders and land shells). In 

 the patches of wood on the hot " llanos," or savannas, many insects 

 may be found sitting on leaves, as various Hispidce, Chlamys (these 

 are exactly like the excrement of Lepidopterous larvae), &c. ; by 

 brushing about the low bushes with a gauze net — it is little use beating 

 — a good many Cryptocephnlidce, Glythra, Chrysomelidce, and Hemiptera 

 will be obtained ; large Coreidce and Pentatomidce are more abundant 

 in these places than in the forest, they like the hottest sun ; some few 

 Lepidoptera more fond of the sun will be met with here — Theclce, 

 Siderone, Papltia, Ageronice (always on tree trunks), Prepona, Synchloe, 

 Coloenis, some Glaucopis, Urania Leilus, and the like ; and on the banks 

 of the streams lots of Terias, Callidryas, Papilio, and Callieore ; some 

 nice little Erycitiidce, darting about for a moment to settle again 

 beneath leaves (their wings spread out horizontally at rest), are often 

 met with in early morning. The flowers of the mango, guava {Legu- 

 viinosce), and other edible fruit trees, appear to be very attractive to 

 insects — to Hesperidce in the day-time, and to Spliingidcs in the short 

 twilight. Excrement on the plains and elsewhere will contain Phanceus 

 and other Copridce ; fallen rotten fruit (oranges, pine-apples, bananas, 

 cacao, «fec.) swarm at times with NitiduUdce and Ontliophagi ; carrion 

 is not easy to find, the turkey-buzzards devour it so quickly, and in 

 consequence very few Necrophaga are to be met with, dead beetles 

 {Passalidce) have more than once produced me species of Aleocharidce ! 

 the flowers of Arums, and the decaying roots of the pine-apple-like 

 plants called " pinuela," often contain lots of Lamellicorns {Gyclo- 

 cephala and allies) and NitiduUdce ; lots of Epilachna, Phytophaga, and 

 Hemiptera will be found sunning themselves on the leaves of Cucur- 

 hitacecB (melons, squashes, &c.) ; and some pretty little Coccinellidce on 

 the orange trees. 



Exceedingly few Lamellicorns of the larger species {Dynastidce, 

 &c.) will be found by the ordinary collector, though they are there ; 

 I have had the remains of Megasoma elephas and M. Hercules brought 

 me more than once, though I never met with them myself ; Buprestidce, 

 except small species, and the giant Eucliroma are poorly represented ; 

 no species of Oarahidce larger than Agra, nothing to compare in size 

 with our Carahi ; Staph ylinidoe, if worked for, very numerous in species. 



