62 PAEA. Chap. II. 



two by two chattering to each other, the pairs being 

 separated by regular intervals ; their bright colours, 

 however, were not apparent at that height. After break- 

 fast we devoted the hours from 10 a.m. to 2 or 3 p.m. 

 to entomology ; the best time for insects in the forest 

 being a little before the greatest heat of the day. We 

 did not find them at all numerous, althouo^h of OTeat va- 

 riety as to species. The only kinds that appeared in great 

 numbers of individuals were ants, termites, and certain 

 species of social wasps ; in the open grounds dragon-flies 

 were also amongst the most abundant kinds of insects. 

 Beetles were certainly much lower in the proportion of 

 individuals to species than they are in England, and 

 this led us to the conclusion that the ants and termites 

 here must perform many of the functions in nature 

 which in temperate climates are the office of Coleoptera. 

 As to butterflies, I extract the following note from many 

 similar ones in my journal. " On Tuesday, collected 46 

 specimens, of 39 species. On Wednesday, 37 specimens, 

 of 33 species, 27 of which are different from those taken 

 on the preceding day." The number of specimens would 

 be increased if I had reckoned all the commonest species 

 seen, but still the fact is well established, that there is 

 a great paucity of individuals compared with species in 

 both Lepidoptera and Coleoptera. We rarely saw cater- 

 pillars. After several years' observation, I came to the 

 conclusion that the increase of these creatures was 

 checked by the close persecution of insectivorous animals, 

 which are excessively numerous in this country. The 

 check operates at all periods of life — on the eggs, the 

 larvae, and the perfect insects. 



