76 ROSE CHAFERS. 



excellent friends are they, as often (like an insect Helena and 

 Hermia) to 



"Have with their" jaws " sat working at one flower," 



or at the demolition of one strawberry. 



Placed at a southern window, they seem quite content to 

 revel in the hearts of gathered roses appearing to strip the 

 pollen form the golden anthers, and, when roused to more than 

 usual activity by the warmth of the sun, to traverse the open 

 bars of their straw prison, seldom attempting to unfurl their 

 "silken pennons" from beneath their golden mail. They 

 would prefer, doubtless, ever and anon, to " fan the gathering 

 breeze," in a transit from one flower to another, but they cer- 

 tainly submit to their thraldom with a better grace than the 

 wild bird under similar circumstances, and we therefore regard 

 ourselves, as their captors, something less hard-hearted than the 

 starling's jailor. " But where is the use," says somebody, " of 

 keeping beetles? They do not sing to you they do not love you 

 they do not even know you." " True, neither, we suspect, 

 do the golden fishes, kept in your window, in crystal captivity. 

 Your finny prisoners will rise perhaps to your hand for a bit of 

 bread, and our mailed ones will come to ours, drawn by the 

 magnet of a strawberry. But the main amusement afforded by 

 your swimming captives is pleasure to the eye, as it follows, 

 with admiration, the brilliant reflexes of their sealy sides ; and 

 we affirm that our green and golden favourites, their " bright 



