388 FOOD OJP INSECTS. 



stinct species*. Cerceris auritus, Latr. and Philanthiis 

 Icttiis, Panz., in the larva state feed solely on the Cur- 

 culio tribe of Coleopfera, the latter being- restricted 

 even to the short-rostrum'd family, as C. picipes, rau- 

 cus, &c.^, while JBemhex rostrafa, another hymeno- 

 pterous insect, selects flies, as Miisca Ccesar, &c.'= 



A very large proportion of species, however, are able 

 to subsist on several kinds of food. Amongst the car- 

 nivorous tribes, it is indifferent to most of those which 

 prey upon putrid substances from what source they 

 have been derived : and the predaceous genera, such as 

 LiheUula, Cantharis, Empis, Aranea^ &c. Avill attack 

 most smaller insects inferior to them in strength, not 

 excepting in many instances their own species. The 

 wax-moth larva (Gallenn Cereana) will for want of 

 wax eat paper, wafers, wool, &c.'^: another Tinea de- 

 scribed by Reaumur, and before adverted to, attacks 

 chocolate", which cannot have been its natural food, 

 even selecting that most highly perfumed ; and the 

 Tineas which devour dressed wool, but happily for 

 the farmer and wool-stapler refuse it when unwashed, 

 must have existed v/hen no manufactured wool was 

 accessible. — The vegetable feeders are under greater 

 restrictions, yet probably the majority can subsist on 

 different kinds of food. This is certainly true of most 

 lepidopterous larvas, several of which as well as many 

 Cokoptera {Haliica oleracea, &c.) are polyphagous, 

 eating almost every plant. It is worthy of remark, 



* Rpiuim. vi. £T!. 



^' En'utitologischc Jicmerkungen (Hiaunsciuveij^ 17 99), p. (5. 

 *■ Latrcille, Ol/s. .•.iir ks Jlymenoptrres, Jnn. tie Mus. x\7. 412. 

 '' Reautn. iii. 257. * Ibii!. iii. 277. 



