208 UP AND DOWN THE BROOKS. 



beetles led to a strange story that De Mouffet did 

 his best to perpetuate by writing it down. In 

 speaking of one kind of the family, the Prionus, 

 and mentioning the antenna under the name of 

 " two horns that grow above their eyes," he says, 

 " they are flexible with nine or ten joynts ; not 

 exactly round, but are rough like goats' horns, 

 which, although it can move them every way, yet 

 when it flies it holds them only forth directly ; and 

 being wearied with flying, she useth them for feet ; 

 for knowing that his legs are weak, he twists his 

 horns about the branch of a tree, and so he hangs 

 at ease, as our Bruerus saw in the country about 

 Heidelberg ; in that it resembles the Bird of Par- 

 adise which, wanting feet, clings about the boughs 

 with those pendulous nerves, and so, being tired 

 with labors, takes its ease." 



I do not know whether the old naturalist al- 

 ways meant antennae by " horns." I think he 

 sometimes meant jaws, for he says of one beetle, it 

 " useth its homes for that end for which crabs and 

 lobsters do their clawes." But he says, " Beetles 

 are some greater, some less. The great ones, some 

 have horns, others are without horns. Those that 

 have horns, some are like Hart's horns, others like 

 Goat's horns, . . . others have rain's horns j some 

 have horns on their nose." 



I have read that an English entomologist named 

 Drury has recommended to all those who are ever 

 cast upon desolate islands where nothing can be 



