A YOUNG NATURALIST. 



229 



their sweet-scented flowers, predominated, announcing our 

 approach into the Terre- Chaude, and of a completely alter- 

 ed nature of vegetation. Soon an immense mahogany-tree 

 (Swietenia mahogoni), with its thick boughs and dark- 

 s^reen foliage, rose before us ; a little farther on a fallen 

 ceiba had crushed four or five shrubs. The ceiba (Erioden- 

 dron anfractuosum) called Pochotl by the Indians, is one 

 of the largest trees known ; its fruit, of a pod-like shape, 

 contains a silky down, which possesses a singular property 

 of swelling in the sun. I was pointing out this peculiarity 

 to Lucien, when a formidable buzzing noise met our ears ; 

 a whole flock of Hercules beetles had flown out of a bush 

 and struck heavily against the branches of a tree. Lucien 

 caught one and wanted to hold it down on the ground, but 

 the insect got away from him and continued its flight. 



" Oh !" cried the boy, " this beetle is stronger than I 

 am !" 



" It is not for nothing that it bears the name of Hercu- 

 les" replied Sumichrast, smiling; "as you have just found 

 out, it is as remarkable for its strength as for its size. It 

 is a native of Brazil, and is only occasionally found in Mex- 

 ico." 



" Do they always travel in flocks like this ?" 

 " No ; the occurrence is so rare that I shall make a note 

 of it." 



" I smell something like snuff," said Lucien, sneezing. 



" It proceeds from the beetles," said Sumichrast. 



And so powerful was this odor, that it caused Lucien 

 several times to sneeze. This was another fact to note 

 down. 



" Papa, do look at them hanging one on to another, and 

 forming something like an immense bunch of grapes. Do 

 they bite with those powerful jaws ?" 



" They are horns which you mistake for jaws ; but their 



