Chap. II. THE ELAND — THE SCAVENGER BEETLE. 43 



prospect of getting water for our cattle for a day or two, I was 

 surprised to hear in the fine still evening the croaking of frogs. 

 Walking out until I was certain that the musicians were between 

 me and our fire, I found that they could be merry on nothing 

 else but a prospect of rain. From the Bushmen I afterwards 

 learned that the matlametlo makes a hole at the root of certain 

 bushes, and there ensconces himself during the months of drought. 

 As he seldom emerges, a large variety of spider takes advantage 

 of the hole, and makes its web across the orifice. He is thus 

 furnished with a window and screen gratis ; and no one but a 

 Bushman would think of searching beneath a spider's web for a 

 frog. They completely eluded my search on the occasion re- 

 ferred to ; and as they rush forth into the hollows filled by the 

 thunder-shower when the rain is actually falling, and the 

 Bechuanas are cowering under their skin garments, the sudden 

 chorus struck up simultaneously from all sides seems to indicate a 

 descent from the clouds. 



The presence of these matlametlo in the desert in a time of 

 drought was rather a disappointment, for I had been accustomed 

 to suppose that the note was always emitted by them when they 

 were chin-deep in water. Their music was always regarded in 

 other spots as the most pleasant sound that met the ear after 

 crossing portions of the thirsty desert ; and I could fully appre- 

 ciate the sympathy for these animals shown by -ZEsop, himself an 

 African, in his fable of the ' Boys and the Frogs.' 



It is remarkable that attempts have not been made to any 

 extent to domesticate some of the noble and useful creatures of 

 Africa in England. The eland, which is the most magnificent of 

 all antelopes, would grace the parks of our nobility more than 

 deer. Tins animal, from the excellence of its flesh, would be 

 appropriate to our own country ; and as there is also a splendid 

 esculent frog nearly as large as a chicken, it would no doubt 

 tend to perpetuate the present alliance, if we made a gift of that 

 to France. 



The scavenger beetle is one of the most useful of all insects, as 

 it eifectually answers the object indicated by the name. Where 

 they abound, as at Kuruman, the villages are sweet and clean, 

 for no sooner are animal excretions dropped than, attracted by 

 the scent, the scavengers are heard coming booming up the wind. 



