HABITS OF ROSE CHAFERS. 77 



endorsement " glittering amongst the roses as they revel in 

 their hearts, are objects to the full as pleasing. By keeping 

 them we are likely also to inform ourselves on the little-known 

 subject of insect economy. We find, for instance, that our 

 chafers of the rose, contrary to the usage of the cock-chafer, 

 go to bed with the sun ; and just as the majority of beetles, 

 which have lurked all day under leafy coverts, stones, and in 

 other darksome hiding-places, begin to wheel their drowsy 

 flight, amidst the shades of evening, these lovers of the light 

 retire with its disappearance, and about sunset regularly hide 

 themselves, for the night, either beneath their roses, or within 

 the bed of light earth with which their basket cage is fur- 

 nished. We fancy also that by observation of our chafer's 

 ways we have gained also a little insight into their characters, 

 as socially considered. Though their earthen bed is spacious 

 as a " bed of Ware " they are almost invariably, when retired 

 for the night, to be found lying side by side, and, though lit- 

 tle enough of animal warmth is likely to be transferable 

 through their coats of mail, they must certainly derive some 

 sense of comfort from proximity. 



That these little creatures, possessed of no audible voice 

 except the loud shrill buzz of their powerful wings while 

 passing through the air or lignting on a rose, have yet a lan- 

 guage of their own a mode of communication and a way of 

 influencing each other's movements was further proved to 

 us by the following circumstance. 



