ISO IMSlRBCt INJURIES GAL'SED BY INSECTS. 



fate, the insects that feed upon the grass of our pas- 

 tures were to become as generally numerous as they 

 are occasionally permitted to do. One of the worst of 

 these ravagers is the grub of the common cockchafer 

 (3felolojifha vulgaris, F."*) This insect, which is found 

 to remain in the larva state four years, sometimes de- 

 stroys whole acres of grasSj as I can aver from my own 

 observation. It undermines the richest meadows, and 

 so loosens the turf that it will roll up as if cut with a 

 turfing-spade. These grubs did so much injury about 

 seventy years ago to a poor farmer near Norwich^ that 

 the court of that city, out of compassion, allowed him 

 25/., and the man and his servant declared that he 

 had gathered eighty bushels of the beetle'*. In the year 

 1785 many provinces of France were so ravaged by 

 them, that a premium was offered by the government 

 for the best m.ode of destroying them. They do not 

 coniine themselves to grass, but eat also the roots of 

 corn ; and it is to feast upon this grub more particularly 

 that the rooks follow the plough. 



The larva also of another species of this genus (3/r- 

 lolontha puhcrulenta, F.) is extremely destructive in 

 moist meadows, rooting under the herbage, so that, 

 the soil becoming loose, the grass soon withers and dies. 

 Swine are very fond of these grubs, and will devour 

 vast numbers of them, and the rooks lend their as- 

 sistance. 



Amongst the Lepidoptaa, the greatest enemy of our 



pastures is the Bombj/x Gramims, F. which, Iiowover, 



is said not to touch the foxtail grass. In the )ears 



1740, 1741, 1742, they multiplied so prodigiously and 



^ Plate XVII. Fig. VZ, " PhUcs. Trans. \'Al. jSl. 



