286 ENTOMOLOGY. 



I am a humble member of creation, and as such keep myself to 

 myself, and do not intrude upon my fellow creatures; but I chanced the 

 other day to be present at a large and influental meeting of "bloods," 

 and cannot refrain from giving you an account of it. The assembly consisted 

 of a large number of respectable insects, and when I name the Honourable 

 Rupicapraria, the very Reverend the Dean of Westwoods, (D. applana,) 

 and the various members of their families, as amongst the company, you 

 will have no reason to doubt my assertion. The meeting was held in the 

 branches of the celebrated Calthorpe Oak, more than four hundred persons 

 being present; some sat on the branches, some fluttered in the air, whilst 

 Mrs. Cynips and a few more made the most of the opportunity to lay the 

 foundation of another brood. The proceedings were opened by G. Stercorarius, 

 the public orator, who declared that "that meeting had assembled for the 

 consideration of the question, 'How best can the insect world protect them- 

 selves from the assaults and encroachment of man?' " The discussion was 

 commenced by the afore-mentioned Honourable Rupicapraria, who said, drawing 

 in his breath as he uttered the first word, in a manner similar to that in 

 which I have heard members of the House of Commons do, "Sir, man is 

 cruel; (immense cheering, clapping of wings, stamping of feet, etc.) man is 

 arbitrary and proud. (Renewed and deafening applause, in which the Bombyx 

 family, so noted for their lungs, took the lead.) Sir, (hear, hear!) Sir, 



(bravo!) Sir, (excellent!) Who, (in a voice of thunder) who dares to " (ha, 



ha!) The speaker could not go on; the excitement was extreme. A thorough 

 search was made throughout the assembly, but in vain. The culprit could 

 not be found; but whether it was that the determination and energy of the 

 constables, Atropos and his relations, terrified them, or that the effects of 

 his first offence had satisfied him, certain it is, we were disturbed no more. 

 The proceedings were brought to a close with the utmost order and regularity, 

 and the orator pronounced, with that fluency of speech and elegance of 

 diction for which he is famous, the following resolution: — "That it is the 

 unanimous resolution of this meeting, that in future any insect who allows 

 himself to be caught by man, is a fool." — Cetonia Aukata. 



Ravages of the Halticce, (Turnip Flies.) — It is well known that these little 

 Coleoptera, with which agriculturists are familiar under the names of Tick, 

 Plant Lice, etc., are a real scourge to the growers of rape seed, and the 

 cultivators of vines, gardens, etc. This year one of the same species has very 

 much injured our forest oaks, as I have been informed by M. Vicaise, the 

 chief administrator of the domains of the crown, and by M. Pissot, the 

 conservator of the Bois de Boulogne. The larva; of this species, (Graptodera 

 erucce, Fabr.,) divest the oak leaves of the whole of their parenchyma, till 

 they appear like lace work, just in the same way as those of the Hallicre 

 attack the vines in the south. All these species so nearly resemble each 

 other in the perfect insect, that they have been blended together by various 

 authors, under the name of Haltica {Graptodera.) the Olcracea of Linnams. 

 I have long hesitated about separating them specifically, merely on account 

 of characteristics of trivial importance, but a close study of their habits, and 

 above all of the larva?, has shown me that there are many distinct species, 



