Chap. XXX. IXSECT LIFE— BIRDS. 609 



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

 insects, like grains of fine sand, moving on my boxes. On exa- 

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

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

 metallic lustre, another clear as crystal, a third of the colour 

 of vermilion, 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 former 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 everywhere. Although they do no harm, they 

 excite in man a feeling of loathing. Perhaps our appearance pro- 

 duces 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 

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

 whisking 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 univer- 

 sality of organic life may be called a mantle of happy existence 

 encircling the world, and imparts the idea of its being caused by 

 the consciousness 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 tins 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 



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