. A naturalist in the Transvaal. to this Natal residence Iwas shown the difficulties attending the labours of thehorticulturist owing to the ravages of injurious roses were literally covered and devastated by aCantharid beetle (Myhtlris transversalis) and his appleswrere being completely eaten by two other beetlesbelonging to the family Cetoniidse (Plcesiorrhina planaand Pachnodaflamventris). His principal enemies whichoccasioned his heaviest losses were the ticks (Acaridce],which attacked his live-stock with the most disastrousresults; clearly there is room for a state-paid econom
. A naturalist in the Transvaal. to this Natal residence Iwas shown the difficulties attending the labours of thehorticulturist owing to the ravages of injurious roses were literally covered and devastated by aCantharid beetle (Myhtlris transversalis) and his appleswrere being completely eaten by two other beetlesbelonging to the family Cetoniidse (Plcesiorrhina planaand Pachnodaflamventris). His principal enemies whichoccasioned his heaviest losses were the ticks (Acaridce],which attacked his live-stock with the most disastrousresults; clearly there is room for a state-paid economicnaturalist in Natal. I was interested to learn thateven in this colony, as in the Transvaal, material and A JOURNEY TO DURBAN. 127 industrial progress had been much retarded by thepresence of the financial agent and company-promoter,of whom I was assured there were quite a colonyin Maritzburg, and who my host described as HebrewLilies, who toiled not neither did they spin. I left his house to catch the night train, driven in a. Mylabris transversalis on Rose. Cape cart drawn by a pair of spirited horses guided bya native boy. The night was pitch dark, the roads bad,with a river to drive through, and yet we went at full 128 A NATURALIST IN THE TRANSVAAL. speed without a single sign of hesitation on the part ofthe boy who held the reins. As the train sped along, and for thirty miles beforewe reached Newcastle, we constantly disturbed smallflocks of the South-African Kestrel (Cerchneisrupicold).These birds were usually found two or three togetherand often on the ant-hills which bordered the line,taking flight as the train approached; but I saw veryfew birds during this journey, and a fine pair of Paauw(Otis Aw/), walking on the open veld near the Ingogoheights, were the most interesting of our ornithologicalobservations. At Newcastle I once more joined the coach for Yolks-rust, the first stage in Transvaal territory, and foundas a travelling companion an Englishman who had beent
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