THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



eftbrts fruitless and ineffectual, flew away, but returned shortly afterwards 

 bearing in their bills objects of a green color, most probably worms of 

 poisonous qualities, fed them to the young and left, never to return. A 

 few minutes afterwards the latter were dead. 



It is evident from the above that the parents, finding their efforts of 

 no avail to relieve their young from their imprisoned condition, sought 

 this way of saving them from a life in preference to which death would 

 assuredly prove desirable. Other instances might be cited, but I forbear 

 Enough has been written to sustain the writers position, that in the case 

 of Formica flava an unwillingness to suffer any of the colony to undergo 

 a life of slavery was the controlling motive in the sacrifice alluded to. 



If it could be shown in the above cases that any material good was 

 subserved thereby, or that any advantage was acquired, the author would 

 be free to admit that Mr. Darwin's theory to account for the destruction 

 was the only one competent to explain all the known facts. But from 

 the foregoing statements it is evident that a desire to save their offspring 

 and proteges, on the part of parents and guardians, from the condition of 

 involuntary servitude, no doubt is equally as important. 



ON SOME OF OUR COM^EOX INSECTS. 



14. THE COMMON COCKCHAFER— Lachnostcrna qiiercma, Yinoch, 



BY GAMBLE GEDDES, LONDON, ONT. 



Our readers will recognize at once in figure 8, ( Lachnosterna 

 quercina) the common May-bug in its difterent stages. i shows the 

 chrysalis ; 2 the larva, and 3 and 4 the perfect insect. It appears in some 

 years in vast numbers, and is greatly complained of, whilst in other 

 seasons it is comparatively rare. This depends chiefly on the long 

 duration of its developement. The insect flies with a humming noise, so 

 that one is aware of its approach at the distance of some yards. It 

 appears principally in May and the beginning of June, and feeds upon 



