Late in the season, when the Wheatear 

 is plump and fat, it is esteemed as an 

 article of food. In former years large 

 numbers of these birds were captured for 

 this purpose. Pennant states that in his 

 time nearly two thousand dozens were 

 annually captured by the shepherds on 

 the downs in the vicinity of Eastborne. 



Though the Wheatear is a shy bird, 

 both the male and the female exhibit a 

 great deal of anxiety, and bravely en- 

 deavor to defend their nest on the ap- 

 proach of danger. The male is very 

 watchful during the nesting season, and 

 it is said that he performs a part of the 

 duties of incubation. 



SOME QUEER TROPICAL INSECTS. 



Venezuela presents an almost inex- 

 haustible field for the favorite pursuits 

 of the naturalist and entomologist, where 

 organic life is so exuberant and where 

 there is something to claim his undivided 

 attention at every hour, and at every 

 step. 



This is especially true of the vast fam- 

 ily of lepidopterous insects and particu- 

 larly the butterflies, those Nature's 

 fairies, which Spenser has described as 

 "lords of all the works of Nature." In 

 the course of our tropical travels we no- 

 ticed one variety of even gorgeous color- 

 ing, which had the faculty of the cham- 

 eleon of changing its gaudy colors in an 

 instant to a dull and somber brown. This 

 was done when it was being chased by 

 its enemies. It would swiftly dart around 

 and alight upon the opposite side of a 

 tree, often assuming the exact color of 

 the bark as it did so. Nature has pro- 

 vided it with means of defense to escape 

 its many pursuers. The beautiful pea- 

 cock butterfly, as well as the regal-robed 

 Emperor butterfly, are among the grand- 

 est forms of the Creator's handiwork. 

 They are also noted for the long aerial 

 combats between the males during the 

 season of mating. At such times they 

 will fight as they circle upwards, and 

 in their excitement will soar out of 

 sight. 



Like the butterflies, the beetles of this 

 country are innumerable, being always 

 marked by their crustaceous wing cases 

 and an inordinate voracious appetite. One 

 of the most curious and interesting creat- 

 ures of all the multifold species of the 



beetles found in the tropics is the bom- 

 bardier, which is marked with beautiful 

 metallic green and pitch black colors. It 

 derives its name from a quaint volatile 

 fluid, which it secretes and expels at will 

 whenever alarmed or chased by its ene- 

 mies. At such times it awaits the proper 

 opportunity till its pursuer is close upon 

 it, feeling certain of the prey, when it 

 discharges a small quantity of the fluid 

 into the enemy's face, which volatilizes 

 and explodes with a miniature report. It 

 is somewhat ludicrous to observe the con- 

 sternation and confusion of the pursuer 

 when thus surprised by such unexpected 

 artillery. It always enables the bom- 

 bardier to escape and reach its burrow 

 before the enemy can clear its eyes and 

 recover from the explosion that had frus- 

 trated its designs. 



Though this curious beetle is very ac- 

 tive in movement as well as swift on the 

 wing, it rarely leaves the earth, where it 

 is a rapid runner and easily captures its 

 own prey, which are generally caterpil- 

 lars and other tree-destroying insects. 

 The males sometimes engage in mortal 

 combats, and then, like the carabus, the 

 victor will devour the vanquished. 



The stag beetle, like the hercules and 

 rhinoceros of the same tribe, is a most 

 formidable looking creature, with toothed 

 jaws extending beyond the head, like the 

 horns of a stag. The males are inveterate 

 pugilists, and we frequently observed a 

 miniature ghastly sight of a group of 

 their heads firmly locked in each other's 

 mandibles, while the abdomens and trunks 

 had disappeared. The carabus, or cannibal 



214 



