done, in magnifying the delights of solitude and retirement as found in the wilds of America, "he went upon the other tack," and was continually reprobating the country, and denouncing the most impassioned, but alas! ineffectual, anathemas upon its insect-inhabitants. Before the expiration of his first Summer in the Province, he considered the plagues of Egypt as gentle chastisements, when compared with the plagues of Canada. I have often laughed most heartily when I have seen him rubbing his fingers, and scratching his legs, though at the time I was myself enduring as much pain as it was possible for poisonous insects to inflict. I certainly did experience a mitigation of my own sufferings whenever I could spend an hour or two in the company of my friend, listening to his execrations of a country in the praise of which he had, a short time before, been so extravagantly lavish. Though I must confess, this mitigation was not on account of any particular sympathy which I felt for the tortures he endured, but it had its origin in the ludicrous contrast between his present just vituperations and his past unwarrantable encomiums.

Children suffer more, if possible, than adults, from the Musquito and Black-fly. Their heads and necks swell to such a degree, as to render them not only the greatest sufferers, but the most wretched spectacles of afflicted humanity.

Though the sting of the BLACK-FLY, at the mo

ment of infliction, produces little pain, it is nevertheless equally as poisonous as that of the Musquito, and of the two, is rather more to be dreaded. The Musquito, like a true warrior, disdaining assassin-like attempts, does not seek concealment for the accomplishment of his designs, but makes an open and an honourable attack at the peril of his own life, and leaves you every opportunity of self-defence: While the Black-fly, like the midnight murderer, lies in wait all day, and as the night draws near steals from his hiding-place: But still afraid to meet you face to face, he seeks an ambush in your hair, and executes his dark designs in perfect safety; for you seldom feel his bite, until after he decamps satiated with your blood. From the bite of the Musquito, a white swelling, not unlike that caused by the sting of a nettle, is immediately produced: In a short time, it becomes exceedingly painful and itching, notwithstanding which, if you had only to endure a single or a dozen bites, it would signify very little. But when your hands and arms, your face and neck, your legs and thighs, are literally covered with bites,— and that not only once a week or once a day, but every minute of your life during the months of June, July, August, and September,-it signifies more than words can express.

I once read the Travels of a Frenchman,—I do not now recollect his name, who resided some time in America. His sole objection to the

country was derived from the musquito and other insects, which he thought sufficient to drive any man away. This, I think, was proceeding rather too far, although I consider them a perpetual torment, and perhaps have suffered as much from their malignity as the annoyed Frenchman,-for they respect neither particular nations nor persons,-I believe I should never think of leaving the country against which I had no greater objection, than its harbouring musquitoes, if in other respects it answered the expectations which I had previously formed. At the same time, I am free to confess, that if I knew the Deity designed to employ musquitoes, as the only instruments in the execution of his revealed threatenings on the unrighteous, I should almost dread the idea of eternal punishment as much as I do at this moment: And, therefore, if the Frenchman had not been induced, either by necessity or expediency, to leave his native country for the Canadas, but had left it only for the sake of his own pleasure, I should deem the operation of that motive which he mentions sufficiently powerful to make him measure back his steps again.

The SHAD-FLY makes its appearance about the beginning of June, but disappears in less than a fortnight. These insects bear a very close resemblance to moths, and have little tendency during their brief stay, to increase the stranger's attachment to the country. The first Canadians, how

ever, hailed these insects with joyful acclamations, from a notion which they entertained, that they came to acquaint them with the arrival of the Shadfish in the river. It is singular enough, that these insects are never observed in the country a single day before the arrival of that fish, or after its departure. The Shad-fly is most common about the towns and villages on the banks of the St. Law. rence, and is seldom observed in Upper Canada. I have seen them so numerous in the environs of Montreal, that at the distance of five yards I could not have distinguished an elephant from a

mouse.

SNOW-FLEAS are a species of insects of which I have not seen any notice taken either by French or English writers. Previous to a thaw, they are observed upon the snow in great multitudes. I once counted upwards of 1,296,000 upon a single square yard; and I think it is probable, that every yard of woodland in the province would average at least an equal number. This calculation may appear singular, but it was very easily effected: I selected a square yard, every part of which appeared to be equally covered with these insects, and then cut out with my penknife a square inch of the snow, which of course retained its due portion of fleas. Depositing the whole upon a plate, I allowed the snow to thaw, and the water thus produced to run off. The insects remained on the plate, deprived of life, which afforded me an opportunity for ascer

taining their number with accuracy: and I found it to be 1,000. I multiplied the number of insects. found upon one square inch by the number of inches in a square yard, and the result was the number of insects contained on the surface of a square yard. The Snow-flea is perfectly black, and about the size of a grain of the finest gun-powder. But I had at the time no microscope, by which to examine its peculiar conformation.

The FIRE-FLY, of all nocturnal insects, exhibits an appearance the most pleasing to the curious and contemplative mind. In the functions of this little being, we behold a wonderful example of creative skill. At one moment, its body is dark and opaque ; and, the next, it is brilliantly illuminated, as if by material fire. In the Summer nights they enlighten the whole country, and seem like a galaxy of subordinate stars, intended to point out the path of safety

to the luckless wight

Whose lot is cast to travel in the night.

They are so numerous in every part of Lower and Upper Canada, that a person not aware of the uninflammable nature of their blaze, would imagine the woods and fields to be in danger of immediate conflagration. The Fire-fly belongs, if I mistake not, to the class of beetles; it is of a very dark brown, with a straw-coloured abdomen, from which it emits the luminous appearance I have just described.