214 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



greatest clemency that justice would allow, the lower animals being the 

 elder-born and first heirs of the earth and blessed of God, who gave them 

 every green herb for meat. Judge and counsel being named legal dis- 

 cussions followed, and at last it was decided that the inhabitants should 

 provide a piece of land outside the vineyards of the parish for the beetles, 

 sufficient in quantity and quality for their use. This was done ; a fortnight 

 later the counsel for the prosecution moved the Court for an order, that in 

 default of the accused accepting the land offered they should be prevented 

 meddling with the vineyards, under certain penalties. The advocate for 

 the coleopterans asked time to consider, and the case coming on again 

 after two months, he declared that he could not, on behalf of his clients, 

 accept the land offered, as it was barren and produced nothing suitable 

 for their food and sustenance. Issue was joined on this point, and arbi- 

 trators appointed, and then . Here, unfortunately, the report stops, 



and we know not what was the result. We are not informed who paid for 

 the defence of these beetles, but we are told that such legal processes could 

 never be begun until all arrears of tithes were paid to the Church. 



In 1690 legal proceedings were taken against some caterpillars, who, 

 in the way of business, were laying waste the cultivated parts of the little 

 town of Pont-du-Chateau, in Auvergne. The Vicar excommunicated them 

 and the Judge of the district laid an interdict upon them, and solemnly 

 relegated them to an uncultivated spot which was duly designated. 



A lawyer of France, in writing on the important subject of trials of 

 animals, speaks (with that accuracy and truthfulness for which the mem- 

 bers of that profession are noted) of locusts, in India, no less than three 

 feet long, with legs armed with teeth so powerful that saws were made 

 of them. 



In 1 1 20 some other naughty caterpillars were tried at Laon ; the next 

 year flies came before the Court at Forgny. In the fourteenth century 

 Spanish flies were tried at Mayence ; and in 1479 cockchafers at Lausanne. 

 By the way, the ^cclesiastial court was rather sharp on these poor chafers- 

 After three religious processions had gone the rounds, the insects were 

 cited to appear in the Bishop's court ; for counsel they had assigned to 

 them one Perrodet, who had been dead six months. In consequence of 

 his absence in the Spirit-world, the advocate did not appear in court 

 when the case was called on, and as the chafers did not appear personally, 

 judgment was given against them by default. They were excommunicated 

 in the name of the Holy Trinity and the Blessed Virgin, and they and 



