388 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



roots of the furze, they had made their lines of cave-dwellings. 

 It was odd to see rows of Toads, with heads protruding, philosophis- 

 ing on the previous night's raid; and funnier still to observe the 

 late home-comers toddling from their hunt under the strawberry 

 leaves, with protuberant bellies, bandy legs, and glistening 

 eyes. These reptiles must eat largely, for when captured and 

 placed in a box, they vomit pellets of wingcases and the 

 indigestible parts of the harder beetles. When affrighted, 

 freshly caught examples will eject from their hides an un- 

 pleasant, cold liquid. They will very speedily become tame, 

 and make interesting pets. 



Owing presumably to the greater number of fir trees grown 

 to-day, the Great Sawfly (Sirex gigas) would seem to be on the 

 increase. Several were captured in July. Up till August 24th 

 Wasps had not been nearly so abundant this autumn. Two 

 nests I discovered near my houseboat I promptly destroyed by 

 pouring into their entrances a mixture of paraffin, methylated 

 spirits and naphtha, sending a running fire into the interior 

 by applying a match. I had previously marked down the 

 entrances during the day. But there must be (August 30th) 

 a very formidable colony somewhere in the neighbourhood, for 

 during the past two days' oppressive heat the houseboat has 

 been besieged by Wasps of a very lively and offensive tribe, that 

 buzzed around the doors and over my writing paper until I 

 have had to make and use a small bat in self-defence, knocking 

 them down continuously. 



On July 25th wben sitting in the police-court making a 

 sketch of a very eccentric individual, a Sexton Beetle (Necrophorus 

 rcspillo), that had by some mischance found its way into this 

 hall of justice, alighted on my drawing, and was promptly 

 secured by me, to the amusement of the reporters who thought 

 the insect's choice of my company rather appropriate ! 



One July evening I visited a country friend who was looking, 

 with no great delight, upon a ruined beehive. The colony had 

 either died or become bankrupt, and the dry comb left inside the 

 hive had been ruined by the larvas of the Wax Moth (Galleria 

 mellonella). It was odd to see fat inch-long Caterpillars explor- 

 ing the empty cells, now creeping along the tent-lined hollows 

 where the midrib had been eaten away, now emerging from one 



