290 TROPICAL NATURE IIt 
most conspicuous of all the beetle tribe. The weevils and 
their allies are also very interesting, from their immense 
numbers, endless variety, and the extreme beauty of many of 
the species. The Anthribide, which are especially abundant 
in the Malay Archipelago, rival the Longicorns in the immense 
length of their elegant antennz ; while the diamond beetles of 
Brazil, the Eupholi of the Papuan islands, and the Pachy- 
rhynchi of the Philippines, are veritable living jewels. 
Where a large extent of virgin forest is cut down in the 
early part of the dry season, and some hot sunny weather 
follows, the abundance and variety of beetles attracted by the 
bark and foliage in various stages of drying is amazing. The 
air is filled with the hum of their wings. Golden and green 
Buprestide are flying about in every direction, and settling 
on the bark in full sunshine. Green and spotted rose-chafers 
hum along near the ground; long-horned Anthribide are 
disturbed at every step; elegant little Longicorns circle 
about the drying foliage, while larger species fly slowly 
from branch to branch. Every fallen trunk is full of life. 
Strange mottled, and spotted, and rugose Longicorns, endless 
Curculios, queer-shaped Brenthide, velvety brown or steel- 
blue Cleride, brown or yellow or whitish click beetles 
(Elaters), and brilliant metallic Carabide. Close by, in 
the adjacent forest, a whole host of new forms are found. 
Elegant tiger-beetles, leaf-hunting Carabide, musk-beetles of 
many sorts, scarlet Telephori, and countless Chrysomelas, 
Hispas, Coccinellas, with strange Heteromera, and many curious 
species which haunt fungi, rotten bark, or decaying leaves. 
With such variety and beauty the most ardent entomologist 
must be fully satisfied ; and when, every now and then, some 
of the giants of the tropics fall in his way—grand Prionide or 
Lamiidz several inches long, a massive golden Buprestis, or a 
monster horned Dynastes—he feels that his most exalted 
notions of the insect-life of the tropics are at length realised. 
Wingless Insects 
Passing on to other orders of insects, the hemiptera 
dragon-flies and true flies hardly call for special remark. 
Among them are to be found a fair proportion of large and 
handsome species, but they require much searching after in 
