MELOE-. 
103 
used as an embrocation on the parts affected : for 
this purpose also the oil expressed from the whole 
insect has been used with equal success. The 
female of this species deposits her eggs, which are 
very small, and of an orange colour, in a large 
heap or mass beneath the surface of the ground: 
each egg, when viewed by the microscope, ap- 
pears of a cylindric shape, with rounded ends; 
from these are hatched the Larvae, which, at their 
first appearance, scarcely measure a line in length, 
and are of an ochre-yellow, with black eyes: they 
are furnished with short antennae, six legs of mo- 
derate length, and a long, jointed, tapering body, 
terminated by two forking fdaments or processes. 
These larvae are found to live by attaching 
themselves to other insects and absorbing their 
juices. They are sometimes seen strongly fasten- 
ed to common flies, &c, a practice so extraordinary 
as to have caused considerable doubt whether they 
could possibly have been the real larvm of the 
Meloe Proscarabaeus. The accurate observations 
of Degeer however have completely proved that 
they immediately fasten themselves to any insect, 
whether living or dead, that is placed near them. 
It is therefore probable that in their natural sub- 
terraneous state they attach themselves in a si- 
milar manner to the larvae of the larger beetles, 
worms, &c. Sec. 
The Meloe scahrosus"^ extremely resembles the 
preceding, and is found in similar situations, but 
* Marsham Entom. Britaiin. 
