140 THE VICTORIAN NATDRALI8T. 



appeared, or if a straggler maintained a hold here and there, as a 

 rule it was sterile. Numerous other palms had taken its place in 

 the copses or on the wooded hills. New varieties of ferns kept 

 making their appearance. Choicest convolvulus were in rich pro- 

 fusion. A glow-worm very'like the English species, but broader in 

 the centre and more star-like in shape was not uncommon, shining 

 brightly in the darkness of the night. The English glow-worm is 

 the female of an ordinary looking beetle. 1 believe the Fijian to be 

 an allied type, though I did not succeed in capturing the male. 

 Why is she thus illuminated in the niglit ? In Nature we see a 

 series of designs. And each design is repeated, with multiple 

 variations, in the different types or species of organic life. The 

 male and female of each kind must recognize find attract each other. 

 Among a very large number of birds, the male is gaudily plumed. 

 He is arrayed in brilliant colours, or is adorned witli crest or collar 

 fringe. Sometimes he is talented with power of song. And so the 

 female looks and loves. Among the mammalia, the male is 

 generally more powerful — he is a leader born. The female is moi'e 

 delicate and graceful, and is born to be protected and loved. The 

 females are more shy and coy. How then shall they attract the 

 notice of their lords. In the glow-woim, where the male has no 

 great attractions, the female carries with her this beautifnl bewitching 

 light. Many moths and flies where the male is sombre-looking and 

 non-attractive have the females without wings. These emit an 

 odour which will draw their species for miles. On a sunny day you 

 watch a small ant-like looking creature as it sloAvly crawls along in 

 the sunshine. Before you know what is the matter, a large winged 

 bee or fly, three or four times the size, has flown past, and almost as 

 quick as lightening caught up the inconspicious looking creature in 

 its grasp, flying off with it, together visiting flower to flower. And 

 so throughout creation, in an evolution of variations the design 

 runs, until it stands out prominently in reason-endowed man. Man 

 is born the lord and master, woman is born to be protected and 

 loved. Man stands out in his native dignity and strengtli. Woman, 

 as Darwin observes, " resorts to the aids of art in the shape of 

 ribbons and' flowers, and bustles and flounces, to render her more 

 winning and attractive." 



Fiji is specially rich in dragon flies. All sizes, from half an inch 

 to a stretch of even five or six inches. Many of them are beautifully 

 coloured, but lose their colour in drying. Some bave the wings 

 beautifully darkened by a thickening of the network. The Ichneumons 

 and many species of hymenoptera and diptera greatly resemble 

 Australian types, In damp places, mosquitoes are very numerous 

 and troublesome. Their nature is unchangable. They still remain 

 notorious cannibals. I did not go among the mountains of the 

 Upper Rewa. On my return I passed through one of the mouth 



