The Harmas 



will follow her In her raids when we find time. 

 Here again, around a heap of grasses turned 

 to mould, are Scollae^ an Inch and a half long, 

 who fly gracefully and dive Into the heap, at- 

 tracted by a rich prey, the grubs of Lamelll- 

 corns, Oryctes and Cetonlae." 



What subjects for study! And there are 

 more to come. The house was as utterly de- 

 serted as the ground. When man was gone 

 and peace assured, the animal hastily seized 

 on everything. The Warbler took up his 

 abode In the lilac-shrubs; the Greenfinch 

 settled In the thick shelter of the cypresses; the 

 Sparrow carted rags and straw under every 

 slate ; the Serin-finch, whose downy nest Is no 

 bigger than half an apricot, came and chirped 

 in the plane-tree-tops ; the Scops made a habit 

 of uttering his monotonous, piping note here, 

 of an evening; the bird of Pallas i\thene, the 

 Owl, came hurrying along to hoot and hiss. 



In front of the house is a large pond, fed 

 by the aqueduct that supplies the village- 

 pumps with water. Here, from half a mile 

 and more around, come the Frogs and Toads 

 in the lovers' season. The Natterjack, some- 



^Large Hunting Wasps. Cf. The Life and Lo've of 

 the Insect: chap. xi. — Translator's Note. 



'^Different species of Beetles. The Cetonia is the Rose- 

 chafer. — Translator's Note. 



23 



