3978 The Zoologist— May, 1874. 



Torcello is indeed a peculiar spot, as regards its situation, and 

 the unrivalled historical interest attaching to the little isle, whose 

 old name of "the wine-press" is coinmemorated by the numerous 

 ancient and dilapidated vintners' shops ; many of these were shut 

 up and others in ruins, sliirting the sides of the canals, which were 

 fringed with Michaelmas daisies in full bloom when our gondola 

 was punted along these channels, of narrow width indeed, but by 

 uo means insignificant on that account, when we reflect how they 

 contributed to the safety of the early Church of those regions, at a 

 period when the inhabitants of Altinura and Aquileia fled for safety 

 to the districts encircled by these marshes, from the desolating 

 progress of Attila and the northern invaders ; and in corroboration 

 of this fact a massive stone chair is still pointed out on an open 

 green outside the church, called the throne of Attila, but conjec- 

 tured, with more probability, to have been the seat in which the 

 chief magistrates of Torcello were inaugurated. For on entering the 

 ecclesiastical edifices here, one is struck not only with their oldness, 

 but their marvellous antiquity, containing monumental records of 

 saints, arch-presbyters, bishops and metropolitans, several of whom 

 passed away before the erection of the earliest Venetian church, 

 and whose memory is only preserved by a half-effaced inscription, 

 green with damp from the sea-mists arising from the lagoons all 

 round this quarter; and one is led to observe how, not only through 

 their geographical position, but also by the style of the architecture 

 eui])loyed, the said buildings serve as a link between the Eastern 

 and Western branches — they are basilicas rather than churches. 

 Not far from our landing-place was a small orchard, of which half 

 had been mown, while half was still covered with lucerne, and the 

 field in question was intersected by a ditch filled with Michaelmas 

 daisies from end to end, where Rapas and Edusa, as a natural 

 consequence, swarmed. 



My visit to the Pineta, so celebrated for having furnished the 

 timber for the Roman fleet, and renowned in poelry from the days 

 of Dante down to the time of Byron, took place on October 9, 1872. 

 It was, however, unattended with much success, as regards ento- 

 mological captures : in spite of the bright autumnal sun glinting 

 through the forest glades, which appeared such admirable collecting 

 ground, I only noticed six species of Rhopalocera and three kinds 

 of Orthoptera. 



