A BLACKBERRY BUSH IN AUTUMN. 189 



similar errand, endeavouring to pierce the caterpillars 

 within their leafy houses. I could not however detect 

 one ichneumon so engaged, though I watched very 

 carefully. 



Several species of hoverer-fly were about the bush, 

 settling occasionally on the flowers. These beautiful 

 and strong-winged insects care little for wind, and may 

 be seen enjoying their brilliant life on the wing when 

 even the bees scarcely like to venture out of their hives. 

 Some of them bear a curious resemblance to wasps, and 

 others to bees, so closely imitating those insects, not 

 only in shape and colour, but in action, that no one 

 who is not a practical entomologist will venture to take 

 one in his hand. 



Of beetles there were but very few. Some of the 

 tiny pear-shaped weevils were crawling slowly over the 

 leaves, clinging to them very firmly, considering that 

 they were sharply agitated by the wind. Some of the 

 long-bodied, soft-skinned beetles, known as soldiers and 

 sailors, according to their red or blue colour, were 

 paying their respects to the blossoms. They are 

 usually to be found on umbelliferous flowers, but there 

 are few plants on which they may not be seen. They 

 are rather quick on foot, and have a fashion of quivering 

 their long antennae in a manner exactly resembling 

 that of the ichneumon flies. 



There is a peculiar trait of character among these 

 beetles. Being so soft-bodied, they seem little fit for 

 combat, and yet there are no insects more apt to fight, 



