134 BARON WALKENAER ON THE 



are all obnoxious to the attacks of the spondylus ; and that 

 what concerns this insect is directly connected with our 

 subject. 



8. Cantharis. 



In the Geoponicks, c. 49, a receipt is given to prevent the 

 injuries of the cantharides : it is to macerate these insects in 

 oil, and to rub the vine with the decoction. 



Palladius also has a receipt to be used against the insects 

 that infest the vine ; he directs the cantharides which are 

 found on the rose to be macerated in oil till it acquires an 

 unctuous consistence, and the vines they intended to be 

 pruned, to be rubbed with this liniment.^ 



The name cantharis frequently occurs in many Greek and 

 Latin authors ; but without any mention of the vine being 

 made at the same time. In Pliny we read, however,^ " Ver- 

 rucas cantharides cum uva taminia intritcs exedunt :" 

 *' Cantharides, pounded and mixed with the uva taminia, 

 destroy warts." 



What uva taminia was is not now known ; it has been 

 translated wild grapes, but it certainly was not the fruit of the 

 vine. 



It would be superfluous to adduce here the numerous pas- 

 sages in the works of ancient authors, in which the word 

 kantharis occurs, because the signification of this word is 

 well known. It is evident, from all these passages, that they 

 intended the perfect insects, and not their larvae, by this word ; 

 that they belonged to the order Coleoptera, or beetles ; that 

 cantharis was a general term for different species of beetles, 

 though not for all kinds indifferently. The ancients always 

 used this word to designate certain species of Coleoptera, or 

 beetles with brilliant colours, which were remarkable for their 

 blistering or poisonous properties, differing considerably, how- 

 ever, as to the particular species intended. 



Thus the cantharis of Aristotle appears to be the same 

 species as that mentioned by Aristophanes ;^ but it is a very 

 different insect to the one with black and yellow bands, which 

 Dioscorides has described so well that it is impossible for natu- 



^ Palladius, lib. i. c. 35 ; torn. i. p. 43, ed. Biponti. " Plin. lib. xxx. c. 9. 

 '' Aristophane cite dans Aldrovandes, de Insect, c. 3, torn. i. p. 180. 



