three inches in length when full grown, and is a very singular insect. Its head has somewhat the appearance of an elephant, having a horny bill like the proboscis of that animal, bending upwards from the under part, with another pointing downwards from the upper part of the head, both of a jet black, and of a fine polish. On the inner surface of the upper bill are raised points, like the teeth of a saw, which are used by the insect in the same manner. Its body is like that of a beetle, but considerably larger, with double wings, the inner of which is like coarse gauze; and its legs are armed at each joint with crooked, sharp nails, with the same on each toe, like a bird.

The process of this insect in sawing down branches of trees, is really admirable, but it is hardly possible to form an idea of the manner of doing it without a description. This work it performs by encircling the branch with its bills, the points of which it fastens well into the wood, and turning round it briskly by the strength of its wings, which make a loud buzzing noise, it in a short time saws the branch asunder. They

are by many called Elephant Flies, from the great resemblance of their heads to that animal; they are perfectly harmless, and are caught only to be kept as curiosities.

Atwood's History of Dominica.

SCARABEUS HERCULES. THE HERCULES, OR DRUNKEN BEETLE.

THIS remarkable insect measures five or six inches in length, the wing shells are of a smooth surface, of a blueish or brownish grey colour, sometimes nearly black, and commonly marked with several small, round, deep, black spots, of different sizes: the head and limbs are coal black: from the upper part of the breast or thorax proceeds a horn or proboscis of enormous length, in proportion to the body; it is sharp at the tip, where it curves slightly downwards, and is marked beneath by two or three denticulations, and furnished, throughout its whole length, with a fine, short, velvet-like pile,

of a

brownish orange colour: from the front of the head proceeds also a strong horn,

about two-thirds the length of the former, toothed on its upper face, but not furnished with any of the velvet-like pile, which appears on the former. This insect is a native of several parts of South America, where great numbers are said to be sometimes seen on the tree called Mammaæa, rasping off the rind of the slender branches by working nimbly round them, with the horns, till they cause the juice to flow, which they drink to intoxication, and thus fall senseless from the tree.-DR. GREGory.

SCOLOPENDRA.-CENTIPEDE.

THE larger species of these insects are found only in the hotter regions of the globe. They are of a formidable appearance, and possess the power of inflicting severe pain and inflammation by their bite. One of the most conspicuous of these animals is the Scolopendra Morsitans, a native of many parts of Asia, Africa, and South America. Its length is sometimes not far short of ten

:

inches its colour is yellowish brown, the legs and under parts of the body being much paler, the head is armed on each side with a very large carved fang, of the same strong or horny nature as those of the aranea avicularia, but placed in a different direction, the two fangs meeting horizontally when in action these fangs are furnished on the inside, near the tip, with an oblong slit, through which, during the act of wounding, an acrimonious or poisonous fluid is discharged; the eyes are several in number, on each side of the head, and are placed in a small oval groupe; the legs are twenty on each side of the body, and the tail is terminated by a pair of processes, which perfectly resemble the rest of the legs, except that they are larger, and have the first joints strongly spined, or muricated on the inside. These horrible insects are said to be chiefly found in woods, but, like the small European species, they are occasionally seen in houses, and are said to be so common in some particular districts, that the inhabitants are obliged to place the feet of their beds in vessels of water, in order to prevent their attacks during the night.

THE Silk-Worm is a native of China, and feeds on the leaves of the white mulberry. That industrious nation was acquainted with the manufacture of silk, from the most remote ages; but it was scarcely known in Europe before the time of Augustus. Its beauty attracted the attention of the luxurious Romans; and after the effeminate reign of Elogabalus, it became a