34 
BEETLES. 
we discovered a rich store of our dingy favourites. 
In nearly every half-blown blossom we found, 
smothered in down, a large green sun-beetle, and 
on proceeding to dissect the overblown flowers, we 
discovered at least six other kinds, feeding on the 
floral envelopes or burrowing in the recej^tacle. On 
the Iqjives of the silver-trees, and on the foliage of 
the heaths, we obtained some pretty lady-birds. 
Nor were beetles our only companions. On this 
first day of our hunting season we made the 
acquaintance of many charming birds, especially of 
the crow with the white collar, and of the noisy 
butcher-bird. We picked up a small tortoise, wliich 
seemed, poor stupid thing ! to have lost its mother ; 
and once we observed with a shudder the sluggish 
dark form of the fatal cobra glide slowly beneath 
the shelter of an old uprooted tree. 
Another day, ground-beetles were our game. 
Our fair readers must picture us, covered with sand, 
toilinjx amono; the loose stones at the base of the 
mountain, turning them over to see what there was 
beneath. We took some very fine prizes named 
