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336 OBSER VA TIONS ON INSE CTS, 



HUMMING IN THE AIR 



There is a natural occurrence to be met with upon the 

 highest part of our down in hot summer days, which always 

 amuses me much, without giving me any satisfaction with 

 respect to the cause of it ; and that is, a loud audible 

 humming of bees in the air, though not one insect is to be 

 seen. The sound is to be heard distinctly the whole 

 common through, from the Money-dells to Mr. White's 

 avenue gate. Any person would suppose that a large 

 swarm of bees was in motion, and playing about over his 

 head. This noise was heard last week, on June 28th. 



" Kesounds the living surface of the ground, 

 Nor undeligbtful is the ceaseless hum 

 To him who muses at noon." 



** Thick in yon stream of light a thousand ways. 

 Upward and downward, thwarting and convolv'd, 

 The quivering nations sport." — Thomson's Seasons. 

 ■ — White. 



CHAFFERS. 



Cockchaffers seldom abound oftener than once in three 

 or four years ; when they swarm, they deface the trees 

 and hedges. Whole woods of oaks are stripped bare by 

 them. 



Chaffers are eaten by the turkey, the rook, and the 

 house-sparrow. 



The scarahceus solstitialis first appears about June 26th : 

 they are very punctual in their coming out every year, 

 They are a small species, about half the size of the May- 

 chaffer, and are known in some parts by the name of the 

 fern-chaffer. — White. 



A singular circumstance relative to the cockchaffer, or, as 

 it is called here, the May-bug, scarahceus melontha^ happened 



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