look-out for zoological specimens, as they drew towards me, one of them carrying a magnificent green glittering beetle. He had to come quite close and shout before I could hear him, so tumultuous was the sound. All around on the trees (Eucalyptus), which were here tall and slender, were to be seen scores upon scores of Cicadas[1] in all imaginable stages—dingy sluggish larvæ that had just emerged from their holes at the foot of some tree, some of them just in the act of bursting from the larva-case; others, again, that had performed this act, standing or climbing slowly up the tree, waiting for their wings (which were hanging like little green globular bags full of fluid) to dry; and so on up to the beauteous-winged imago flying lightly from tree to tree. In dealing with these insects one cannot fail to notice the habit they have of spurting an acrid fluid as they fly off on being alarmed; this they eject with some degree of force, and in considerable quantity.
My attention was here attracted by the great number of large handsome red-and-black Hymenoptera (Exeirus sp.?), which were attacking the Cicadas, relentlessly pursuing them from tree to tree. (Afterwards, on my road home, I came across a specimen of this large Wasp, hard at work dragging a large green and apparently anæsthetized Cicada across my pathway. Unthinkingly I separated them, for which I was immediately sorry, as I might have witnessed the performance of stowing the Cicada away in some hole for the use of its assailant's future progeny.)
Here also I observed large numbers of the Coleoptera known as "Elephant insects" (Curculionidæ) of two varieties, one of a uniform dark colour, and the other black and green, both kinds (Chrysolopus spectabilis, Fabr.) being on the branches of a large wattle-tree (Acacia). These wattle-trees are usually swarming with insects, notably Ants, on account of the large amount of gum which is exuded, especially from where there has been a wound. Here the vibration set up in the air by the Cicadas became so intense and so intolerable that I took to my heels, and made for the beach, so that I might gain a brief respite.
- ↑ These consisted chiefly of five species:—Thopha saccata, Psaltoda mœrens, Cicada angularis, Tibicen curvicosta (this makes a tremendous noise, and can be heard at a great distance, though it is not very large), and, lastly, Cyclochila australasiæ, of which there are two varieties, one a beautiful green, the other yellow, with intermediate forms.
