OP DIGESTION. 355 



viz., Copris, Onthophagus, Ateuchus, Gymnopleurus, Onitis, 

 Aphodius, and many others ; then the Hislerodea, many 

 Staphylini, the genus Spheridium, as well as the larvae of 

 innumerable Culiccs and flies. But as these substances have 

 considerable affinity with carrion, and the onthophagous 

 insects with the Peltodea, many species of botli kinds feed 

 indiscriminately upon both substances, 

 2. From the VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 



a. Corrupt vegetable substances. 



Many insects live upon the rotten portions of trees, as the 

 larvae of Lucanus and Oryctes ; others devour the corrupt 

 substances which are deposited beneath the bark of dead 

 trees, for example, Hypophleus, Engis, Ditoma, Colydium, 

 Hhyzophagus, and other genera of this family. The larvae 

 especially appear to derive their nutriment from such cor- 

 rupting, fermenting, or decomposed portions of plants. 

 Lastly, according to Reaumur *, the larvae of the Tipula 

 feed upon earth only, but it is doubtlessly the vegetable 

 extract which is mixed with the mould, and which is pro- 

 duced by annual plants that putrify yearly, and from the 

 fallen leaves of others, that constitutes their nutriment, 

 which during digestion is taken up from the earthy matter. 



b. Fresh vegetable substances. 



These yield doubtlessly the most nutriment. Some insects, 

 as the larvae of Melolontha, gnaw the roots of plants ; others 

 devour and bore into the hard stem ; to those belong the 

 Ptini, Anobia, and in general the entire family of Deperdi- 

 tora, the Cerambycina, and the bark beetles Hylesinus, 

 Bostrichus, Apate, &c. Others again, and by far the 

 majority, consume fresh leaves, for example, almost all the 

 caterpillars of the Lepidoptera, the larvae of the Chryso- 

 melina, even the perfect beetles of this family, and the grass- 

 hoppers. Others again, the larva of Noctua Tanaceti, Arte- 

 misia, &c., feed only upon the petals of flowers, many upon 

 pollen only and the internal parts of flowers ; very many, 

 lastly, feed exclusively upon ripe fruits, as the fruit moth 

 (Tinea [Carpocapsa, Tr.] pomana, Pyralis pomana, Fab., or 



11 Mem. torn, v. p. 1. pages 14, 15, edit, in 12mo. 

 A A 2 



