94 NATURAL HISTORY OF 



no idea. During one part of the day nothing is 

 heard but a loud and uninterrupted rustling or 

 humming noise, in which the harsh and deafening 

 notes of the Cicada? predominate.* One cannot 

 move a step nor touch a leaf without seeing insects 

 take flight from all quarters. The herbaceous plants 

 are literally covered with brilliant beetles ; and the 

 slender twigs of the mimosa, on which they live in 

 society, appear to bend under the weight of dia- 

 mond-beetles (JSfitimus imperialis and nobilis). 

 This teeming exuberance is most striking in the 

 morning, before the sun has evaporated the dews of 

 the night. Towards the approach of mid-day the 

 heat becomes insupportable, and all animated nature 

 sinks into repose. The din ceases, and insects, as 

 well as other animals, seek the freshness of the 

 shade, from which they do not again emerge till the 

 approach of night has cooled the thirsty air. To 

 the species of the morning then succeed a multitude 

 of others, many of which, and these too of the 

 largest and most remarkable kinds, are seldom ob- 

 served but in the evening twilight. Then also 



the night-eyed insect tribes 



AVake to their portion of the circling hours. 



* " Captain Hancock informs me that the Brazilian 

 Cicadae sing so loud as to be heard to the distance of a 

 mile. This is as if a man of ordinary stature, supposing 

 his powers of voice increased in the ratio of his size, could 

 be heard all over the world. So that Stentor himself be- 

 comes a mute when compared with these insects." — Kirby 

 and Spencers Intro, to Entom. ii. 404. 



