652 INSECT LITE.— BIRDS. 



While waiting by the elephant, I observed a great number of in- 

 sects, like grains of fine sand, moving on my boxes. On exam- 

 ination with a glass, four species were apparent ; one of green 

 and gold preening its wings, which glanced in the sun with me- 

 tallic lustre ; another clear as crystal ; a third of the color of ver- 

 milion ; and a fourth black. These are probably some of those 

 which consume the seeds of every plant that grows. Almost 

 every kind has its own peculiar insect, and when the rains are 

 over very few seeds remain untouched. The rankest poisons, 

 as the Kongwhane and Euphorbia, are soon devoured; the for- 

 mer has a scarlet insect ; and even the fiery bird's-eye pepper, 

 which will keep off many others from their own seeds, is itself 

 devoured by a maggot. I observed here, what I had often seen 

 before, that certain districts abound in centipedes. Here they 

 have light reddish bodies and blue legs; great myriapedes are seen 

 crawling every where. Although they do no harm, they excite in 

 man a feeling of loathing. Perhaps our appearance produces a 

 similar feeling in the elephant and other large animals. Where 

 they have been much disturbed, they certainly look upon us with 

 great distrust, as the horrid biped that ruins their peace. In 

 the quietest parts of the forest there is heard a faint but dis- 

 tinct hum, which tells of insect joy. One may see many whisks 

 ing about in the clear sunshine in patches among the green 

 glancing leaves ; but there are invisible myriads working with 

 never-tiring mandibles on leaves, and stalks, and beneath the soil. 

 They are all brimful of enjoyment. Indeed, the universality of 

 organic life may be called a mantle of happy existence encircling 

 the world, and imparts the idea of its being caused by the con- 

 sciousness of our benignant Father's smile on all the works of His 

 hands. 



The birds of the tropics have been described as generally want- 

 ing in power of song. I was decidedly of opinion that this was 

 not applicable to many parts in Londa, though birds there are 

 remarkably scarce. Here the chorus, or body of song, was not 

 much smaller in volume than it is in England. It was not so 

 harmonious, and sounded always as if the birds were singing in 

 a foreign tongue. Some resemble the lark, and, indeed, there 

 are several of that family ; two have notes not unlike those of 

 the thrush. One brought the chaffinch to my mind, and another 



