16'0 Mr. Walfobd's Observations on an Insect, 



Additional Note, by Mr. Marsham. 



The above described Larva is quite new to me, nor can I 

 find any thing like it in the various authors I have consulted, 

 who have written on the larva? of insects. I am therefore igno- 

 rant to which order it belongs. The name of Wireworm seems 

 to be given to various species of larvae, but what I consider to be 

 the true Wireworm was sent to me some time ago by the Right 

 Hon. Sir Joseph Banks. A figure of this I have added to the plate 

 (Tab. XVI 1 1, fig. 4.). The history of this animal I found fully detailed 

 in the Stockholm Transactions for the year 1777, by Mr. Gas Bier- 

 kander, Vicar of Gothene, near Skara, under the appellation of 

 Root-worm* This larva, when full grown, is about seven lines long, 

 very narrow, of a yellow colour, shining, and very hard: the 

 head is brown, with the extremities of the jaws black. The 

 body is composed of twelve joints, on the last of Avhich are two 

 black indented specks. It has six scaly feet on the fore part of 

 the body. Mr. Bierkander observes, that it remains five years in 

 this state before it changes into a pupa, from whence issues 

 Eiater Segetis of Linnaeus. I have frequently found it both in 

 fields and gardens at the roots of divers plants, but never suc- 

 ceeded in bringing it to perfection. The author above mentioned 

 describes four other species of Root-worms; viz. Musca Segetis, 

 Musca Hordei, Vhalcena turca, and Tipala oleracea. 



I flatter myself that this valuable Essay of Mr. Walford's will 



of the Tipula or Crane-fly; but I beg leave to observe that the injury done by the grub 

 is in the spring, and not in October; as many of the flies have not deposited their e^fs 

 till the latter end of September, and those that are deposited earlier are few of them 

 hatched before the spring, as was proved by Mr. Strickney, whose pamphlet, entitled 

 f* Observations respecting the Grub," h now before me : therefore the depredations of 

 the grub cannot be greatly prior to that time : besides, they are most plentiful in the 

 (iy state at the end of September and beginning of October. 



8 stimulate 



