60 



INSECT-COLLECTOES. 



Chap. IV. 



pose. Their medicinal value seemed to them a 

 much better reason for the trouble of collecting. 

 Amongst themselves an idea is prevalent that the 

 larvae of coleopterous and other insects form ex- 

 cellent food to give occasionally to young children, 

 and hence in my rambles I met not unfrequently 

 persons employed in collecting larvse for this pur- 

 pose. A species of toad, found in the rotten hollow 

 trunks of trees during the hot months, is eagerly 

 sought after by the young men in the army who 

 are being trained to the use of the bow, and to 

 whose bones and sinews it is supposed to give 

 additional strength. This strange-looking animal 

 sells in the market at from fourpence to eightpence 

 each, but it is extremely rare. 



The children in the different villages were found 

 of the greatest use in assisting me to form these 

 collections, and the common copper coin of the 

 country is well adapted for such purposes. One 

 hundred of this coin is only worth about four- 

 pence-halfpenny of our money, and goes a long 

 way with the little urchins. A circumstance con- 

 nected with transactions of this kind occurred 

 one day, which appears so laughable that I must 

 relate it. As I went out on my daily rambles I 

 told all the little fellows I met that I would return 

 in the evening to the place where my boat was 

 moored, and, if they brought me any rare insects 

 there, I would pay them for them. In the evening, 

 when I returned and caught a glimpse of my boat, 

 I was surprised to see the banks of the stream 



