328 



TiMEHRI. 



almost to the exclusion of other fishes, and were most 

 easily caught, any sort of bait proving acceptable to 

 their voracity. Daree (Leporinus) were also procurable ; 

 but though said to be plentiful, the gigantic low-low 

 (Piratinga reticulata), and the striped tiger-fish or 

 colite (Platystoma tigrinum) were never caught, 

 although lines were regularly set for them. 



Along the margin of the lakes, on the sand or among 

 the rocks, hundreds of elongated dark shells (Melania 

 atra) were to be seen, while among the trees, a rare 

 variegated Bulimus, rather short and broad, was to be 

 found. Here too, a small crab (Gecarcinus) occurred, 

 and one was bold enough to seize the bait on a fish line 

 and to cling to it until caught by the hand. 



The distri6l yielded a rich variety of insefts, and 

 many were secured — among them beingtwofinespecimens 

 of the large Buprestidor sun-beetle (Euchroma gigantea). 

 The wild guava (Psidium) among the rocks were crowded 

 with several greenish Hemiptera which were almost 

 undistinguishable from the leaves, while a tiny Curculio 

 was equally common on the stems of the same plants, 

 and were highly mimetic owing to the similarity of their 

 colouring to the bark. The most curious instances of 

 prote6live colouring were met with among some speci- 

 mens of Diador foltacea, which dwelt among the bushes 

 by the sandy bay, where they were found only on the 

 flowers of one kind of plant, on which it was hardly 

 possible to distinguish them, though they were easily seen 

 when they rose on the wing. 



The woods around echoed and re-echoed with the shrill 

 screeching of the Cicadas, which at times became almost 

 deafening, but except an occasional specimen which 



