440 NOTI-S ON THE HABITS OF INSECTS. 



Podura, or one of the Acari, in their jaws, and walk about 

 slowly, whilst devouring it: this, no doubt, is a harmony of 

 nature, St. Pierre having long ago said, that what he meant 

 by the harmony of nature was well illustrated by a wolf eating 

 a lamb. 



A better exemplification of this aristocratical kind of har- 

 mony is afforded us by the genus Dioctria, which preys on 

 those ruthless destroyers, the Ichneumonidce ; at least, 1 have 

 never found the common dark-winged species, D. celandica, 

 feeding on any but an Ichneumonidce, (that, I am told, is the 

 newest London phraseology) an Apidce, a Carah'ida, &c., 

 though I have seen dozens feeding on insects of this family. 



About eighteen miles from us is the pleasant little village of 

 Walton, which is fast becoming a fashionable place of resort 

 for us North-Essexians ; — a sweet spot it is, too, for any one 

 who loves Nature, — for one who is willing to contemplate, in 

 its clifTs, the remains of a former race of animals ; for, when a 

 high tide washes away parts of them, it often lays bare large 

 bones, immense multitudes of fossil shells, &c. The botanist, 

 too, may find many a rare plant on the shore, and in the 

 marshes; amongst which I will only mention one, Peucada- 

 num officinale, discovered here by my friend, J. Grubb. 

 The ornithologist may find pleasure in hstening to the plaintive 

 note of the ring-plover, the harsh scream of the tern, or the 

 hoarse croak of the cormorant; — he may watch the dunlins, 

 the purple sandpipers, the sanderlings, coursing along the 

 sands, or skimming lightly over the water ; and if he does not, 

 whilst walking along the shore on a calm summer's morn, 

 when the sun is just rising above the sea, and when no sound 

 is heard save the gentle murmuring of the waves and the notes 

 of the sea-birds, — if in such an hour he does not feel the 

 calmness of the scene — 



" Steal to his heart, and make all summer there," — 



he is altogether unworthy to be called by the name of man. 



But all this is quite away from my subject; but, I am given 

 to wandering; and, Mr. Editor, if you do not check me, by 

 leaving out, now and then, such parts of my letters as are not 

 entomological, you will have me writing to you, not letters on 

 the habits of insects, but letters de omjiibus rebus et quibus- 

 dam aliis. 



