The interior parts of North America abound with nearly the same insects as are met with in the same parallels of latitude; and the species of them are so numerous and diversified that even a succinct description of the whole of them would fill a volume; I shall therefore confine myself to a few, which I believe are almost peculiar to this country; the Silk Worm, the Tobacco Worm, the Bee, the Lightning Bug, the Water Bug, and the Horned Bug.
The SILK WORM is nearly the same as those of France and Italy, but will not produce the same quantity of silk.
The TOBACCO WORM is a caterpillar of the size and figure of a silk worm, it is of a fine sea-green colour, on its rump it has a sting or horn near a quarter of an inch long.
The BEES, in America, principally lodge their honey in the earth to secure it from the ravages of the bears, who are remarkably fond of it.
The LIGHTNING BUG or FIRE FLY is about the size of a bee, but it is of the beetle kind, having like that insect two pair of wings, the upper of which are of a firm texture, to defend it from danger. When it flies, and the wings are expanded, there is under these a kind of coat, constructed also like wings, which is luminous; and as the insect passes on, causes all the hinder part of its body to appear like a bright fiery coal. Having placed one of them on your hand, the under part only shines, and throws the light on the space beneath; but as soon as it spreads its upper wings to fly away, the whole body which lies behind them appears illuminated all around. The light it gives is not constantly of the same magnitude, even when it flies; but seems to depend on the expansion or contraction of the luminous coat or wings, and is very different from that emitted in a dark night by dry wood or some kinds of fish, it having much more the appearance of real fire. They seem to be sensible of the power they are possessed of, and to know the most suitable time for exerting it, as in a very dark night they are much more numerous than at any other time. They are only seen during the summer months of June, July, and August, and then at no other time but in the night. Whether from their colour, which is a dusky brown, they are not then discernible, or from their retiring to holes and crevices, I know not, but they are never to be discovered in the day. They chiefly are seen in low swampy land, and appear like innumerable transient gleams of light. In dark nights when there is much lightning, without rain, they seem as if they wished either to imitate or assist the flashes; for during the intervals, they are uncommonly agile, and endeavour to throw out every ray they can collect. Notwithstanding this effulgent appearance, these insects are perfectly harmless; you may permit them to crawl upon your hand, when five or six, if they freely exhibit their glow together, will enable you to read almost the smallest print.
The WATER BUG is of a brown colour, about the size of a pea, and in shape nearly oval: it has many legs, by means of which it passes over the surface of the water with such incredible swiftness that it seems to slide or dart itself along.
The HORNED BUG, or, as it is sometimes termed, the STAG BEETLE, is of a dusky brown colour nearly approaching to black, about an inch and an half long, and half an inch broad. It has two large horns, which grow on each side of the head, and meet horizontally, and with these it pinches very hard; they are branched like those of a stag, from whence it receives its name. They fly about in the evening, and prove very troublesome to those who are in the fields at that time.
I must not omit that the LOCUST is a septennial insect, as they are only seen, a small number of stragglers excepted, every seven years, when they infest these parts and the interior colonies in large swarms, and do a great deal of mischief. The years when they thus arrive are denominated the locust years.
CHAPTER XIX.
Of the Trees, Shrubs, Roots, Herbs, Flowers &c.
I SHALL here observe the same method that I have pursued in the preceding chapter, and having given a list of the trees, &c. which are natives of the interior parts of North America, particularize such only as differ from the produce of other countries, or, being little known, have not been described.