TRAVELS IN BRAZIL. 245 



the termites* which cast up the earth high and 

 far around. The gayest butterflies, rivalling in 

 splendour tlie colours of the rainbow^, especially- 

 numerous Hesperiaet, flutter from flower to flower, 

 or seek their food on the roads t, or collected in 

 separate companies on the sunny sandbanks of the 

 cool streams. § The blue shining Menelaus, Nestor, 

 Adonis, Laertes, the bluish white Idea, and the large 

 Eurylochus with its ocellated wings, hover like 

 birds between the green bushes in the moist val- 

 leys. The Feronia, with rustling wings, flies ra- 

 pidly from tree to tree, while the owl ||, the largest 

 of the moth kind, sits immovably on the trunk 

 with outspread wings awaiting the approach of 

 evening. Myriads of the most brilliant beetles 

 buzz in the air, and sparkle like jewels on the fresh 

 green of the leaves, or on the odorous flowers. ^ 

 Meantime agile lizards, remarkable for their form, 

 size, and brilliant colours**, dark-coloured poison- 

 ous 4., or harmless serpents, which exceed in splen- 



* Termes fatale L- 



f Hesperia Aparte, Idas, Proteus, Bixae. 



f Hesperia Fabius, Alcyonia, Numata P. Orythia, Doris, 

 Flora, Lsena, Psidii, Piera. 



§ A. Protesilaus, Ajax, Policaon, Thoas. 



II Noctua Strix. 



51 Entymus imperialis ; Buprestis equestris, gigantea ; Eu- 

 molpus nitidus ; Clamys chrystallista nob. &c 



* * Ameiva lateristriga Cuv. ; Tupinambis Monitor ; Anolis 

 violaceus nob.; Polychrus marmoratus Mer. , Seps fragilig; 

 Ophisaurus striatus nob. 



4. Bothrops Neuwiedii, leucurus nob. 



R 8 



