A VISIT TO FERNANDO DO NORONHA. 49 



butterfly, a small blue one known also from Brazil, was common. 

 A few Nocture, Geometers, and Pyrales were also taken. Beetles 

 were not common ; it was probably too early in the year, but 

 a number of specimens of a curious grey Longicorn flew to the 

 lights, and several smaller kinds were taken. Some large brown 

 and green Grasshoppers made a great noise at night; and a 

 peculiar black and brown Field Cricket, inhabiting the fields in 

 the middle of the island, was very common. The most important 

 Hyrnenopterous insect collected was the Marimbondo, a small 

 brown Hornet, which makes little pendulous nests containing 

 about a dozen cells, hung from the underside of a slab of rock, 

 or, more commonly, to the branch of a tree ; the cashew-nut tree 

 is an especial favourite ; I have seen one full of nests in all stages 

 of structure. The Marimbondo can sting a little, but is not so 

 bad as an ordinary wasp. Together with a small black Bee it 

 plays an important part in the fertilization of the plants of the 

 island as so many of these belong to the orders Legiuninosce and 

 Gucurbitacece, of which a very considerable proportion require the 

 aid of Hymenopterous fertilization. 



After six weeks' residence on this island, we embarked in the 

 little trading steamer, and after a tedious and uncomfortable 

 passage of three days we arrived at Pernambuco, where, the mail- 

 steamer having just left, we were obliged to wait for another 

 fortnight. A part of the time we remained at the little village of 

 Iquarassa, twenty-one miles north-east of Pernambuco, where 

 there is a fine field for zoological and botanical collecting. Here 

 we left Mr. Bamage to pursue the study of Natural History, in 

 the dense forests and open heaths of this part of Brazil, and 

 returning to Recife, caught the mail-steamer, and arrived in 

 England in the beginning of November, to find that all the 

 collections made in Fernando do Noronha and Pernambuco were 

 safely housed in the Natural History Museum. 



