78 BEETLE CAGES. 



From June to August of the last summer, instead of a pair 

 we kept a trio of these pretty beetles, which, as regularly as 

 night approached, were in the habit of betaking themselves to 

 rest. On introducing a fourth into the basket, we found that 

 the new-caught stranger, refusing to associate on the first night 

 with his more domesticated associates, remained at the top in- 

 stead of retiring to the bottom of his prison-house. By the 

 arrival of a second night, you might have supposed the rest- 

 less intruder somewhat reconciled to captivity, and ready to 

 go to rest quietly with his fellows ; but not a bit of it he had 

 only communicated to them his own sitting-up propensity. 

 Another had accompanied him to the top, and, owing, as it 

 seemed, entirely to this " evil communication," our little 

 prisoners abandoned for a time their " good manners," and, as 

 long as the warm weather lasted, were as often found, after 

 sunset, out of their beds as in them. 



Now if any of our fair friends should feel disposed to try for 

 themselves the keeping of some of these " loves among the 

 roses " they may lodge them, if they please, in a style of appro- 

 priate elegance. In'the stead of a basket let them be provided 

 with a round closely-wired cage, high enough to contain in its 

 centre a bunch of roses, and wide enough to admit of a sur- 

 rounding bed of light earth or sand. An ornamental cage, 

 thus furnished with fresh roses, and tenanted by insects which 

 in resplendency of metallic lustre almost match the humming- 

 bird, would be no disgrace we take it to the window of a 



