134 



The Naturalist. 



smoked on a wood fire, which will soon clear out the little beasts. 

 Fortunately this species is not found in the forest, and we need not 

 always be on the look-out for them excepting in the campos ; and they 

 only appear for a few months— from April to July, or thereabouts. 

 There are two other species of Carrauatos that I have met with, one of 

 them being about a quarter of an inch in diameter ; but these are not 

 so troublesome as the small ones, as they are solitary in their habits, 

 and are much easier to get hold of when they get hold of you. 



Then we have the "jigger," that lively little flea that delights to 

 burrow under the nails of the toes ; and there are several kinds of biting 

 flies that keep the business going while the mosquito is at rest in the 

 daytime. But all these are only just to remind us that even life in 

 that land of sunshine is not jjerfect bliss ; and though at the time they 

 are decidedly disagreeable, the memory of them soon fades, and 

 leaves only pure delight in recalling the incidents of a day's ramble 

 ^' in the tropics." 



28th May, 1883. 



NATURAL HISTORY NOTES FROM SOUTH AFRICA. 



( Continned.) 



By S. D. Baihstow, F.L.S. 



UiTENHAGE has another attraction for insects in the shape of 

 burly oak trees, planted by the primitive Dutch settlers, and sur- 

 rounding the town a fine bush supplies suflicient allurement for 

 more timorous and less civilised fauna. The pretty Cyclopides m,dis 

 abounds in the gardens. So does Diadema Bolbia and Papilio 

 Beinoleus. Danais chrysippus is common, and Acrea horta likewise. In 

 Port Elizabeth these butterflies are comparative visitants, and I might 

 mention dozens of similar instances to stamp Uitenhage one of the first 

 collecting fields in the Eastern Province of South Africa. Query : 

 Where are our collectors % You give the riddle up, and so do 1. The 

 term Cape emiui is a misnomer for Cape laziness perhaps. We recognise 

 a defeat. We deplore its legitimacy. We hope for a remedy, but we are 

 not wide awake to emergency, to rouse ourselves from lethargy. Let 

 us fill our pockets with gold dust, and then we may attend to the soul 

 elevation department. This is not our home. Why waste money and 

 time in adorning it or embellishing our brains. Two extremes meet. 

 We are either rashly speculative or merely callous. I submit the 

 argument with the best intentions. Dispute it who can. And yet I 



