MACHILIS. 121 



growing robust and in full bloom, with the rich purple 

 of their deep cups the fingers of the folks' (or fairies') 

 gloves deepened by full exposure to the sun's light, 

 one can scarcely wish to see in, the way of flowers. 

 A dozen or so of spikes, all straight and well grown, 

 and tied together in one or two places, and set in 

 a deep vase, make a noble bouquet for the drawing- 

 room. The buds progressively unfold; and as they 

 enlarge they push against one another, and fit them- 

 selves into the intermediate spaces, so as soon to make 

 a compact mass, as if all were growing from one stalk ; 

 and a truly grand affair it is. 



Have you ever seen the Macliilis maritima ?* Per- 

 haps you have not, for it is not at all a common insect, 

 and is found only in certain localities, as upon rocks 

 and stones by the sea. It is a rather curious creature, 

 and worth a moment's examination, if you ever fall in 

 with it. I found it the other day near Watermouth, 

 when ascending the face of the cliff, by means of holes, 

 which I had to cut in the soft slate with my knife as 

 I went up ; but my situation then prevented me from 

 attending to it. Here, on the stones of this wall, I 

 observed several more leaping nimbly about, and one 

 of these I caught, despite his agility. From their 

 shape, and especially from their being clothed with 

 shining, silvery scales, the insects of this family have 



* I must crave the kind tolerance of my readers for occasional 

 repetitions. This Macliilis, for instance, has been mentioned in a 

 previous page. The present volume is a collection of Essays ori- 

 ginally unconnected. 



