410 OBSERVATIONS ON INSECTS AND VERMES. 



insects swarming about the flowers of the ivy, very late in the 

 autumn. MARKWICK. 



Spiders, woodlice, lepismae in cupboards and among sugar, 

 some empedec, gnats, flies of several species, some phalaenae in 

 hedges, earth-worms, etc., are stirring at all times when winters 

 are mild ; and are of great service to those soft-billed birds that 

 never leave us. 



On every sunny day the winter through, clouds of insects usually 

 called gnats (I suppose tipulae and empedes) appear sporting and 

 dancing over the tops of the evergreen trees in the shrubbery, and 

 striking about as if the business of generation was still going on. 

 Hence it appears that these diptera (which by their sizes appear 

 to be of different species, are not subject to a torpid state in the 

 winter, as most winged insects are. At night, and in frosty weather, 

 and when it rains and blows, they seem to retire into those trees. 

 They often are out in a fog. WHITE. 



This I have also seen, and have frequently observed swarms of 

 little winged insects playing up and down in the air in the middle 

 of winter, even when the ground has been covered with snow. 

 MARKWICK. 



HUMMING IN THE AIR. 



There is a natural occurrence to be met with upon the highest 

 part of our down in hot summer days, which always amuses me 

 much, without giving me any satisfaction with respect to the cause 

 of it ; and that is, a loud audible humming of bees in the air, 

 though not one insect is to be seen. The sound is to be heard 

 distinctly the whole common through, from the Money-dells to 

 Mr. White's avenue gate. Any person would suppose that a large 

 swarm of bees was in motion, and playing about over his head. 

 This noise was heard last week, on June 28th. 



" Resounds the living surface of the ground, 

 Nor undelightful is the ceaseless hum 

 To him who muses at noon." 



