r. 



Fi-. 81. 



Fij. 82. 



Tig. 83. 



Fi". 84. 



^. 



m-i 



Who 13 there, indeed, that has not set one on outstretched finf^er and sung to it in childish 

 glee, "Lndy-bird, Lady-bird, fly away home, your bouse is on fire and jour children all 

 burned!"? In France they are much reg.irdei also, and called by children "Betes ii bon 

 Dion," " Vaches de la Vierge," etc. ; and in England they are termed Lady-cows as well as 

 Lady-birds. 



Tlie general colours of those insects are yellow, red or orange, with black spots ; and black, 

 with red, white, or yellow .spots ; their shape is hemispheric::!, and though they vary somewhat 

 in size, an average specimen bears a considerable resemblance in size and figure to an ordi- 

 nary split pea; they have but very short legs and therefore creep but slowly ; their powers of 

 flight, liowever. are considerable. When alarmed they fold ud their legs under the bcdy and 

 drop to the ground, and if handled they emit a yellowish fluid from the joints of the limbs 

 whic-h has rather a strong and disagreeable smell. In old times this fluid was considered to 

 be an admirable .specific for toothaclie ! We have never, however,posscssed sufficient courage to 

 test its qualities in this respect ourselves I 



As every one knows — or cert:unly ought to know by this time— the Lady-birds, both in 

 their larval and perfect states, feed up m the obnoxious plant lice ( Aphides), and are tlius of 

 the utmost service to the g:irdjiisr, orehardistand hop-grower. .■;oms species also prey 

 very successfully upon the dreaded Colorado beetle, and assist beneficially in reducing the 

 numbers of this new insect plague.* 



More than thirty species of this family of beetles are known to inhabit Canada. Atten- 

 tion h:is so frequently been drawn to them in the course of these reports, that we need do 

 no mor" lhans:iy — spare their lives and encourage their propagation by all means; they are 

 the moit useful class of insects that we have. 



We have now enumerated all the leading varieties of beetles that are in their several 

 modes serviceable to mankinil. If any of ourretiders are now onabkd lo distinguish between 

 insect friends or foes of this order, we shall feel well repaid for any trouble that these descrip- 

 tions m;iy have cost us. Our limited time and space preclude us trom going on to i tber orders 

 in this leport ; when another year comes round we hope, however,to have something further 

 to say upun the subject. 



* Vide Second Annual Heport, p. 72. 



