C ^59 1 



the roots of grafs, corn, &c. and frequently dc-^ 

 ftroy whole fields in a (hort time. * In this eruca 

 or grub date, they continue three and fometimes 

 four years. 



In their beetle-ftate they have two pair of wings; 

 the one filmy, and the other fcaly. The interior 

 pair are folded up in a curious manner, and remair\ 

 hid, unlefs when expanded for flight. The elytra^ 

 or cafe- wings, are of a reddiih brown colour, and 

 fprinkled over with a fine white powder, like the 

 auricula. The legs and tail (which is pointed) are 

 whitifh. The body is brown, except at each joint 

 on the fides of the belly, which is indented with 

 white. The circles round the eyes are yellowifh ; 

 the antena fhort, and terminated by fine lamellated 

 fpreading tufts, which the creature expands more 

 or lefs as it is brifk and lively or otherwife. 



The firfl account I find of thefe deftrudlive in- 

 feds, is given by Mouffetty who tells us, that in the 

 year 1574, fuch a multitude of them fell into the 

 Severn, that they clogged, and even flopped, the 

 wheels of the water-mills. 



There is alfo an account in the Tranfaftions of 

 the Dublin Society, that the country people fuffered 



fo 



