. Alps and sanctuaries of Piedmont and the Canton Ticino (Op. 6.) . MAIN DOORWAY,S. NICOLAO. GIORNICO. 75 Looking up again against the mountain through theopen door of the church when the sun was in a certainposition, I could see an infinity of insect life swarmingthroughout the air. No one could have suspectedits existence, till the suns rays fell on the wings of. INTERIOR OF OLD CHURCH, GIORNICO. these small creatures at a proper angle ; on this theybecame revealed against the darkness of the mountainbehind them. The swallows that were flying amongthem cannot have to hunt them, they need onl
. Alps and sanctuaries of Piedmont and the Canton Ticino (Op. 6.) . MAIN DOORWAY,S. NICOLAO. GIORNICO. 75 Looking up again against the mountain through theopen door of the church when the sun was in a certainposition, I could see an infinity of insect life swarmingthroughout the air. No one could have suspectedits existence, till the suns rays fell on the wings of. INTERIOR OF OLD CHURCH, GIORNICO. these small creatures at a proper angle ; on this theybecame revealed against the darkness of the mountainbehind them. The swallows that were flying amongthem cannot have to hunt them, they need only fly 76 ALPS AND SANCTUARIES. with their mouths wide open and they must runagainst as many as will be good for them. I saw thisincredibly multitudinous swarm extending to a greatheight, and am satisfied that it was no more than whatis always present during the summer months, thoughit is only visible in certain lights. To these minutecreatures the space between the mountains on the twosides of the Ticino valley must be as great as thatbetween England and America to a codfish. Many,doubtless, live in the mid-air, and never touch thebottom or sides of the valley, except at birth anddeath, if then. No doubt some atmospheric effectsof haze on a summers afternoon are due to nothingbut these insects. What, again, do the smaller ofthem live upon ? On germs, which
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