Bairstow : Natural History Notes — South Africa. 105 



The sober brown colour of its elytra is displaced by a shade of 

 Isabella. 



After capturing a few Marginatas at pleasure, I come across another 

 fine Longhorn, a species of Ceroplesis. This genus is well represented 

 here, but as the various species are so closely allied, and differences 

 minute, I refrain from inserting doubtful names. A pretty little 

 Cicindela Capensis (?), evidently out of its latitude, because unaccom- 

 panied by friends, rushes in a semi-flighty manner across the sandy 

 path. The "pop "of a drawn cork, and one slight seething hiss, 

 announces — Verdict: "Death by drowning;" and my Tiger Beetle 

 succumbs to fumes of liquid gin. I have labelled this insect 

 " Doubtful," for a simple reason that, as 1 presume there are two 

 species occurring simultaneously together, and very much alike, I have 

 not yet persuaded myself — which is which ? 



Capturing two specimens of the huge Mantnora (possibly Maxillosa), 

 a fine Antlda thoracica, recognised by all Goleopterists, Antliia 10- 

 ffiittata, and. several dung-rollers, I re-commence the stone-turning 

 process. As an old minister used to remark when desirous of 

 emphasing a grand point, and bringing it home to his audience, " put 

 your finger on "the stone-turning process. It merits a moments 

 digression. Our fathers have taught us that UoUing stones gather no 

 moss. Slightly altered to the tune of Entomology, this proverb stands 

 thus : Kolling of stones discloses lots of beetles. The idea is 

 axiomatic. Are you acquainted with some aspiring student, or 

 would-be author, who, anxious to write a book on Natural History, 

 pining for criticism and everlasting fame, yet lacketh the one thing 

 needful — a subject 1 Let him take the cue from my advice, and 

 christen his book " Stone-turning," with an inaugural and fashionable 

 couplet, something after this style : 



A stone o'er hurled 

 Reveals a world ! 



If insects could speak to us in some known language ; if each departed 

 grub had left us the legacy of its history ; if the swaddling clothes 



of chrysalids, discarded in imagin(e)ary flights ; If 



I must dissemble. Labyrinthine realms of Fancy's " ifs," will lead 

 me into endless misery unless the sequel is broached. I say, then, 

 that as there are " books in running brooks," so there is a world 

 beneath a pebble. Kneeling upon the ground, pipe in my mouth* 

 straining every nerve, I succeed in topsy-turveying a big stone, and 

 rush forward to investigate — what ? The stock of an old curiosity 



* Tobacco is conducive to discovery. 



