156 INDIRECT INJURIES CAUSED BY INSECTS. 



obliged to change their abode and seek protection 

 in the sands of Beja; nor is there any alternative or 

 means of avoiding- this, tliough a hostile band were in 

 the way capable of spoiling them of half their substance *. 

 This fly is truly a Beelzebub^ ; and perhaps it was this, 

 or some species related to it, that was the prototype of 

 the Philistine idol worshipped under that name and in 

 the form of a fly. 



I must not conclude this subject of insects hurtful to 

 our cattle without noticing a beetle much talked of by 

 the ancients for its mischievous properties in this re- " 

 spect. You will soon and rightly conjecture that I am 

 speaking of the Buprestis", so called from the injury 

 which it has been supposed to occasion to oxen or kine. 



Modern writers have been much divided in their opi- 

 nion to what genus this celebrated insect belongs. All 

 indeed have regarded it as of the Coleoptcra order; but 

 here their agreement ceases. Linne should seem to 

 have looked upon it as a species of the genus to which 

 he has given its name ; but these, being timber insects, 

 are not very likely to be swallowed by cattle with their 

 food. GeofFroy thinks it to be a Carabus or Cicindela^ 

 but with as little reason, since the species of these ge- 

 nera do not feed amongst the herbage ; and though they 

 are sometimes found running there, yet their motions 

 are so rapid, that it is not very likely that cattle would 

 often swaljow them while feeding. 



* Bn;ce's Travel^; 8vo. ii.315. 



" Hrb. aimbl/n li!e all%' "Lord-Fly." See 2 Kings, i. 2; and Bo- 

 cbart. Hierozoic. ps. ii. 1.4. r. 9. p. 490. 



" Burn-Cow or Ox, frj.-n (ins and -^^ri^eo inllammo. M. Latreille trans- 

 lates it Creve-hoeuf, but improperly. 



