212 



hidden there ? Hear the observation of the naturalist : — " I think it 

 a childish notion that the beauty of birds, insects and other creatures 

 is given to please the human eye ; surely such rich plumage and song, 

 like the other endowments of species, are given them for their own 

 pleasure and advantage." This, if true, ought to enlarge our ideas of 

 the inner life and mutual relations of our humble fellow creatures. 



In the neighbourhood of Para, Mr. Bates found 700 species of but- 

 terflies, many of the most showy kinds being seen flying about the 

 streets and gardens ; but the more splendid metallic-blue Morphos 

 are confined to the shade of the forest ; Morpho Rhetenor, whose 

 wings are of a dazzling lustre, is an almost unattainable prize on 

 account of its lofty flight, rarely descending within twenty feet of the 

 ground ; when sailing along, and occasionally flapping its wings, the 

 blue surface flashes in the sunlight with a brilliancy distinctly visible 

 a quarter of a mile off". One species, Hetaira Esmeralda, having clear 

 wings, with a single opaque spot of a violet and rosy hue, flies over 

 dead leaves in gloomy shades, and resembles, says the naturalist, 

 " the wandering petal of a flower." 



Insects of other Orders — dragonflies for instance — are almost 

 equally conspicuous with the butterflies ; about 100 species occur 

 near Para ; some frequent open sunny places ; others live in the 

 darkest shades of the forest, the latter being the most beautiful. 

 Chalcopteryx rutilans is pre-eminently beautiful ; its anterior wings 

 are quite clear and transparent, whilst the hind pair are of a dark 

 colour, glittering with a violet and golden refulgence ; but beautiful 

 as many of these insects are, they are pronounced to be the pest of 

 the Lepidopterist, since they wage unceasing war with all day-flying 

 insects. 



Many of the Arachnida would doubtless be pronounced hideous 

 monsters by the majority of persons ; but their history is deeply 

 interesting, and their usefulness in the economy of nature commands 

 the admiration of the naturalist. In the Amazonian forest is found 

 that monstrous spider, Mygale Blondii, five inches in expanse ; and 

 others extend to full half a foot. Some species live, we are told, 

 under the tiles or thatch of houses, constructing dens of a closely- 

 woven web, resembling fine muslin ; sometimes they are seen crawling 

 on the walls of apartments ; others build similar retreats in trees, and 

 attack birds; whilst some excavate tunnels two feet deep, lining them 

 beautifully with silk : such species are said to be nocturnal. Mr. 

 Bates has recorded his observation of Mygale avicularia preying upon 



