302 



NOISES OF INSECTS. 



rufa), as I formerly observed, make a rustling noise with their 

 feet when walking over dry leaves, I know of no other in- 

 sect the tread of which is accompanied by sound — except 

 indeed the flea, whose steps, a lady assures me, she always 

 hears when it paces over her night-cap, and that it clicks as 

 if it was walking in pattens ! That the flight of numbers of 

 insects is attended by a humming or booming is known to 

 almost every one ; but that the great majority move through 

 the air in silence, has not perhaps been so often observed. 

 Generally speaking, those that fly with the greatest force and 

 rapidity, and with wings seemingly motionless, make the most 

 noise ; while those that fly gently and leisurely, and visibly 

 fan the air with their wings, yield little or no sound. 



Amongst the beetle tribes (Coleoptera), none is more no- 

 ticed, or more celebrated for " wheeling its droning flight," 

 than the common dung-chafer ( Geotrupes stercorarius) and its 

 affinities. Linne affirms — but the prognostic sometimes 

 fails — that when these insects fly in numbers, it indicates a 

 subsequent fine day. 1 The truth is, they only fly in fine 

 weather. Mr. White has remarked, that in the dusk of the 

 evening beetles begin to buz, and that partridges begin to 

 call exactly at the same time. 2 The common cock-chafer, 

 and that which appears at the summer solstice (Melolontha 

 vulgaris and Amphimalla solstitialis), when they hover over 

 the summits of trees in numbers, produce a hum somewhat 

 resembling that of bees swarming. Perhaps some insect of 

 this kind may occasion the humming in the air mentioned by 

 Mr. White, and which you and I have often heard in other 

 places. " There is," says he, (e a natural occurrence to be 

 met with in the highest part of our down on the hot summer 

 days, which always amuses me much, without giving me any 

 satisfaction with respect to the cause of it ; — and that is a 

 loud audible humming of bees in the air, though not one in- 

 sect is to be seen. — Any person would suppose that a large 

 swarm of bees was in motion, and playing about over his 

 head." 3 



i Syst. Nat 42. 550. 



3 White, Nat Hist ii. 256. 



a Nat Hist. ii. 254. 



