From June to August of the last summer, instead of a pair we kept a trio of these pretty beetles, which, as regularly as night approached, were in the habit of betaking themselves to rest. On introducing a fourth into the basket, we found that the newcaught stranger, refusing to associate on the first night with his more domesticated associates, remained at the top instead of retiring to the bottom of his prison-house. By the arrival of a second night, you might have supposed the restless intruder somewhat reconciled to captivity, and ready to go to rest quietly with his fellows; but not a bit of it—he had only communicated to them his own sitting-up propensity. Another had accompanied him to the top, and, owing, as it seemed, entirely to this "evil communication," our little prisoners adandoned for a time their "good manners," and, as long as the warm weather lasted, were as often found, after sunset, out of their beds as in them. Now if any of our fair friends should feel disposed to try for themselves the keeping of some of these "loves among the roses" they may lodge them, if they please, in a style of appropriate elegance. In the stead of a basket let them be provided with a round closely-wired cage, high enough to contain in its centre a branch of roses, and wide enough to admit of a surrounding bed of light earth or sand. An ornamental cage, thus furnished with fresh roses, and tenanted by insects which in resplendency of metallic lustre almost match the hummingbird, would be no disgrace we take it to the window of a CHAFER TRANSFORMATIONS. 79 drawing-room or ladies' boudoir; neither, we consider, would it be employment unbefitting for ladies' fingers to supply the captives with fresh flowers, or treat them with ripe strawberries. Well, but perhaps say you, when the last rose of summer is departed, and the last strawberry is gathered, what then will become of our rose beetles? Why, for lack of summer flowers, the rose, the peony, and elder, they must content themselves with flowers of autumn, dahlia, marigold, and aster, and with autumn fruits, the plum and pear. But when winter comes in earnest? Then it is likely that, according to the usage of their out-door brethren, which retire for the season to chambers underground, your domesticated chafers may betake themselves, for the same, to the bed provided them. In the case however (though this is not, we believe, in favour of their longevity) of their being roused to activity by the warmth of house or fire, a moistened fragment of our "staff of life" will suffice amply to support the light burthen of their vitality. We have said nothing, hitherto, of the earliest, which is almost beyond doubt the longest period of the rose-chafer's existence, however far extended. Like the rest of its tribe, this pretty beetle undergoes the usual triple metamorphoses of insect life. From an egg laid within the earth, he emerges, a grub or larva, to feed on roots, most usually those of the rose; the "family tree" from whence his parents, at all events his mother, has descended. Thus hermit-like, and upon this hermit's fare, he lives in dark seclusion for four years, and when these are over, constructs for himself, about the month of March, a still more straitened cell,-an earth-formed case resembling a pigeon's egg. He proceeds, under its cover, to the second stage of Pupa-from thence to the third and last estate; and after remaining yet another fortnight under ground, for his enamelled mail to acquire hardness, comes forth in all his splendor to meet the opening roses. The antennæ of this as well as of the common cock-chafer, are of curious and very elegant formation. They each terminate in a knob composed of several laminæ or plates, opening or shutting like the leaves of a book, and which also like a book can be put away at the pleasure of their insect owner, on a shelf or deep cavity on either side its head. They are always thus put carefully away when the chafer is inactive or asleep. It has been noticed as a singular fact that the rose beetle has been found not unfrequently, while in its two first stages, the tenant of an ant-hill, and that, without being attacked by its carnivorous inhabitants. It is hence called, in some countries, "king of the ants;" and it is said also that German cattle dealers invest it with supernatural powers, and feed it carefully in boxes as a means of ensuring prosperity to their herds and fortunes. Had the above superstition been Irish instead of German, it might have been readily enough explained. Ant-hills were formerly if they are not stilled called in Ireland "fairy mounts,” and held, as such, in profound veneration by the common NARCISSUS OF THE WILLOW. 81 people, who feared to disturb one of them, lest they should incur the vengeance of the fairies. The rose chafer's apparent sovereignty over the ant-hill would have naturally therefore invested him, in Hibernian eyes, with the dignity of Kings of Fays, and have made him, in consequence, an object of propitiatory homage. Although we have enlarged on the idea, we are not the first, be it here observed, who has been bold enough to recommend “a nasty beetle" to the notice of the ladies. John Curtis, the celebrated botanist and entomologist, selects from another family of the same order, the Cerambyx moschatus, or musk beetle, as a worthy object of their observation, and as one amongst others whose keeping would afford "a rational amusement in the contemplation of nature's works" a small sallow or willow, planted in a garden pot, would afford, he says, a suitable station for this brilliant and graceful creature. As regards elegance of figure we must confess, freely, that our "Love among the Roses" must resign the palm to this "Narcissus of the Willow," often imaged in the glassy streamlet. In richness of enamelled bravery, green, and gold, and purple, the recommended favourites are much upon a par; but there is one personal and peculiar charm possessed by "he of the willow" over "he of the rose," from whom, however, we cannot help supecting, that the former must once have slily filched it. This gift, or stolen jewel of attraction, which may very likely turn the scale at once in its possessor's favor, is none other than a delicious perfume, "Or who a two-fold apparatus share, Natives of earth, and habitants of air, Like warriors stride, oppressed with shining mail, And rising lids disclose the rich inlay ; The tissued wing its folded membrane frees, And with blithe quavers fans the gathering breeze; Elate towards heaven the beauteous wonder flies, And leaves the mortal wrapt in deep surprise."-ANON. 1735. YOUNG ladies, and old, and ladies of a certain age, all of you who have propensities for petting, we can recommend to you a pet,—a novel sort of favourite. We will describe his person |