526 SEASONS OF INSECTS. 
and AmphimaUa solstitialis. Then also many other 
Coleoptera are in the air ; especially before a thunder- 
storm, a state of the atmosphere that particularly excites 
insects 3 : Ptinus imperialis and germanus I have never 
taken except under these circumstances. Then the 
Ephemera sport in the air, and lead their mystic dance. 
The majority of the hawkmoths are then too on the 
wing, with their long tongues imbibing the nectar of 
the flowers while they hover over them, both morning 
and evening. 
iii. In the night the main body of the moths take their 
flight, as well as a vast number of Coleoptera and in- 
sects of other orders. At this time the Blattce and 
crickets leave their hiding-places and run about : but 
the other Gri/lli L., though they sing in the night, fly 
only in the day. Then also the Carabi, like beasts of 
prey, leave their dark retreats, — in this differing from 
the Cicindela, which are diurnal, — and prowl about to 
entrap other unwary insects. Then, likewise, the female 
glowworm hangs out her lamp of love, and the male, 
led by it, wings his way to her : and then the water- 
beetles (Dytisci, Gyrini, &c.) forsake the waves and be- 
come tenants of the air. 
Could we with certainty discover the stations in which 
insects after their excursions take their repose, we. might 
capture many that we now search for in vain. Several 
of these stations were pointed out in a former part of this 
letter where I detailed their usual haunts. I may here 
add, that numbers of them, when reposing, conceal them- 
selves from their enemies on the under side of the leaves 
8 See above, p. 254 — . 
