INSECTS WHICH PKEY UPOX AGRICULTURAL PLANTS. 103 



furro\YS, or drilling the seed, will hinder their movements very 

 much as their leers are few and weak, and if thev come to the 

 surface are pounced on by the small birds continually on the 

 watch. The mole feeds largelv on these " worms." There is a 

 curious parasite belonging to the class Arachnida which infests 

 the Elaters, and known as the Urojooda umhilica. It is a species 

 of minute tick, oval shaped, and of a rusty brown shining colour, 

 and about one-sixteenth of an inch in length. From one side of 

 the back arises a white transparent peduncle as long as the animal 

 itself. The other end is attached to an elytron of the elater, 

 and is probably used to suck up nourishment from it, and by 

 means of which the parasite keeps fixed on the back of its 

 victim. 



Pterostichus nuididus. — This is the moderately-sized shining 

 black beetle often seen running about when the surface of the 

 ground is disturbed. The thighs are reddish, and it is wingless, 

 as the elytra are soldered together, and these are seen to be 

 delicately striated under the microscope. It is provided with 

 powerful masticatory organs to suit it for a predaceous life, as 

 wire-worms form a principal part of its food, it being one of the 

 useful insects. It prowls about at night, and delights in mois- 

 ture, retiring into cracks during a drought. 



Coccinellidce (the Lady-birds). — These well-known little dumpy 

 beetles are the friend of tlie farmer, as the larvae live totally on 

 the aphides or plant-lice. There are two varieties which are 

 more particularly noticeable — the seven-spotted {Coccindla sep- 

 tenvpiinctata) and the two-spotted [Coccindla hipunctata). The 

 beetles hybernate, passing the winter in chinks, under bark of 

 trees, &c., and leave their hiding places in spring. They lay 

 their eggs in clusters of fifty or so on the under side of the leaf, 

 from wliich issue the leaden-coloured, orange-spotted larv®, 

 ready to pounce on all aphides they come across. 



Tcncbrio molitor (the Meal-worm Beetle). — The larva of 

 this insect is about one inch lonc^ when fullv Lirown, has six 

 pectoral legs, and a smooth ochreous coloured skin, witli rusty 

 bands. It generates in meal, bran, and flour bins. The beetles 

 are of a pitchy or chestnut colour, resembling elaters in general 

 appearance. Cleanliness is the best ])reventive. 



Stcq^hylinidcc. — The liove-beetles are some of the serviceable 

 varieties, as they live mostly on other insects or on decomposing 

 matter. One large bhick species — the Fcetid Eove-beetle (Oci/pus 

 olcns) — is known in tlie country as tlie "Devil's Coach Horse," and 

 is capable of emitting a disagreeable liquid from its mouth when 

 irritated. The /Slaphyliiiidcv in general have powerful, prominent 

 jaws ; the elytra short and (juadrate, not covering the abdomen; 

 the wings not sullicient for flight ; the abdomen longer than the 

 rest of the body (covered witli grey and irridescent down in one 



