30 CORN AND GRASS. 
attack. In the course ot correspondence, I pointed ont to my infor- 
mant, Mr. Winearls, that these beetles would not be likely to feed by 
night, and that the damage would be done by day; that the beetles 
would be found to be sluggish at night, and many of them concealed 
in various ways. These remarks my correspondent found upon further 
investigation were correct. 
‘* Personally I may add that I have ound P. horticola excessively 
abundant everywhere in this neighbourhood at the end of May and 
during June this year. During my entomological outings they would 
seem to have been especially partial to the foliage of Birch-trees, and 
from some of these trees I have seen the beetles fall like a shower of 
hail when the branches have been tapped with a stick or shaken.” — 
(HE. A. A.) 
Where an infestation occurs, as is too frequently the case with this 
especial one, year by year in the same district, if growers were on the 
alert and ready to destroy the beetles on their very first appearance, it 
could not fail to make a deal of difference in amount of egg-laying, 
and consequently on future amount of maggots. 
So far as the observations lately sent me show, there is present 
evil and consequent danger of recurrence of attack next year from the 
quantity of maggots. Miss Dobell, writing to me on the 4th of Oct. 
from Detmore, near Cheltenham, mentioned that the maggots were 
perfectly swarming on her fields just under the grass, and added, ‘I 
have just been out, and with a rake have thrown up thousands.” 
MELOLONTHA vuLGARIS, Common Cockchafer, maggot, and pupa. 
The Common Cockchafer has been so repeatedly written on, both 
scientifically and popularly, for almost countless years, that until some 
advance is made in practicable methods of getting rid of the grubs, it 
appears almost impossible to add any more serviceable observations, 
