chap, vi.] INSECTS. 125 



for the table, though the soup is not comparable to that made 

 from the green turtle of hotter climates. 



INSECTS. 



The insects of Madeira have not yet been completely in- 

 vestigated. A few of the more peculiar have been described 

 by Mr. Bowdich, and a larger collection has recently been 

 made by an English entomologist well qualified to do justice 

 to the subject. 



The Death 's-Head Moth (Acherontia atropos) is com- 

 mon ; so is the Humming-bird Hawk Moth {Sphinx stel- 

 latarum), which hovers over every flower in the hottest 

 sun, taking a sip of each as it hurries along. There are also 

 several varieties of the Diuma. There are several species of 

 Ants : a very minute one which pervades the houses is highly 

 destructive ; it is next to impossible to preserve any speci- 

 mens of birds or insects from its ravages. You eat it in 

 your puddings, vegetables, and soups, and wash your hands 

 in a decoction of it. There are several kinds of Libelhda, 

 Saltoria, Blatta, Coccinella, Rhyncophora, &c, with some 

 water insects. 



Yet in this climate, so favourable to existence of all sorts, 

 the Mosquito, that plague of most hot countries, is com- 

 paratively innocuous. Not so that familiar insect which 

 loves a temperature such as best suits ourselves, neither 

 very hot nor very cold. The common flea thrives in the 

 streets and boats of Funchal. Some of the varieties of the 

 spider here are curious. The Cactus Spider is striped like 

 a zebra, with bands of silver, yellow, and brown. There 

 is also a large black spider, which the natives believe to be 

 venomous. 



