race mostly lead a solitary life underground; many of them feed upon dung, and delight to harbour in it. Some kinds, especially the gar den beetle and the cockchafer, shelter thciu selves beneath the roots of plants, which they consume, to the great detriment of the florist.

The insects of warm climates exceed those of our temperate regions, in variety, number, size, and brilliancy of coin uis; therefore, I shall occasionally enrich my letters with an account of some of those which you will never see but in the collections of the curious.

The largest of this genus is called the Hercules, and is a native of Sonth America. It sometimes measures not less than five or six inches in length. It is furnished with an cnor moos beak. The wing-shells are inclined to blue, marked with round, black spots; and the head and limbs are of a jet black.

The Goliah is an inhabitant of Africa, and is also of a great size. rrhe thorax is of a rosc colour, striped with i)laCk; and the wing sheaths are a purplish brown. The head is divided in front into two forked horns, and its limbs are very strong.

rrIlc gayest of our beetles is the Green or
Rose Chafer, which you must have often seen
on different flowers, particularly the rose and
the peony, glowing like an emerald, with its
coat