86 ' Mr. GuRTis's Ohftrvat'ions on ApM'^es. 



of a box of a commodious form that ikall hold ahout a dozen 

 plants of varbus fizes, to be ufed as a fort of hofpital, in which in- 

 fefted plants may be fmokcd feparately, and the infedls more ef- 

 fectually deftroyed, becaufe it may be rendered more perfcclly 

 fmoke-tight. 



To prevent the calamities vhich would infallibly refult from the 

 accumulated multiplication of the more prolific animals, it has been 

 ordained by the Author of Nature, that fuch fhould be diminifhed 

 by ferving as food for others. On this principle, we find that mod 

 animals in this predicament have one or more natural enemies. 

 The helplels Aphh^ the fcourge of the vegetable kingdom, has to 

 contend with manv. The principal are the Coccinella^ the Ichneumon 

 Aphidum^ and the Mujca aphtdivora. Such as are unacquainted with 

 the hiftory of infefts will learn with fome furprife that the Cccci^ 

 n^/Ia^y a common infect well known even to children by the name 

 of the Lady-bird, is one of the greatelt deftroyers oi t\\Q Aphides ^ 

 which indeed are its only food, its fole fupport, as well in its perfect 

 as in its larva or grub ftate. During the feverity of winter this 

 infect fecures itfelf under the bark of trees, or elfewhcref* When 

 the warmth of fpring has expanded the foliage of plants, the fe- 

 male depofits its eggs on them in great numbers, from whence 

 m a ihort time proceeds the larva^ a fmall grub of a dark 

 lead colour fpotted with orange : thcfe may be obfcrved in the 

 fummer {^1^{o\\ running pretty brifkly over all kinds of plants ; and 

 if narrowly watched, they will be found to devour the Aphides 

 wherever they find them. The fame may be obferved of the Lady- 

 bird in its perfect ftate. As thefe inlets in both tlieir flates arc 



* All the different fpeclcs of C)cdtteUa feed on Aphides \ the lipunclata^ by fai tlie molt 

 common, does the mort execution. 



t Many are found in houfes; for, early \w May 1799, I counted on the window of my 

 common fitting-room, expofx^d to the fuji, nineteen of the Coccinclla bipunclata. 



very 



