116 STRAWBERRY. 
The following note from Mr. §. B. Burroughes, one of my regular 
correspondents for several years, shows presence of beetle attack on 
Strawberries at yet another Norfolk locality,—Cley-by-the-Sea, Holt. 
Relatively to some injury which was going forward amongst root 
crops apparently similar to damage sometimes caused by one or more 
kinds of ‘*Ground Beetles’’ to Mangold plants, by biting them off just 
beneath the surface of the ground, I was at the time in communication 
with Mr, Burroughes, who examined the beetles carefully, and told 
me that they were of the kind I named (7. e. Ground Beetles of one of 
the kinds named above), and he further added :— 
‘*The same beetle has been most destructive amongst the Straw- 
berries this year; . . . I had seen them before, but had no idea they 
eat vegetables.” 
On July 18th, in reply to my enquiries, I was favoured by the 
following short note of continued presence of the attack from Mr. 
M. J. R. Dunstan, Director of Technical Instruction for the County 
Council of Nottinghamshire, who in 1894 and 1895 had forwarded me 
information of mischief caused by Ground Beetles to Strawberry fruit 
at Woodborough in the above county (and in 1895 also to other places 
in the district) to a serious extent. Mr. Dunstan wrote :— 
‘“In reply to your letter, the attack of the beetles on the Straw- 
berries this year, though not so bad as in previous years, is yet very 
serious, acres of good fruit being spoilt by being nibbled so as to render 
it unsaleable. Locally, the attack is put down to the destruction of 
moles, which seems to have been indulged in generally. Your account 
of other attacks is very interesting; it seems as though the pest is 
spreading.” 
On October 21st the following observations of beetle damage to 
Strawberries were sent to me by a large firm of nurserymen in 
Bedfordshire, whose address I have not given, as they would prefer it 
omitted. The specimen forwarded was of the Pterostichus vulgaris (see 
figure, p. 111), one of the kinds of Ground Beetles which is known to 
attack Strawberry fruit, and which may vary in size from just a little 
over half an inch in length to about three-quarters. Messrs. 
observed :— 
‘* Last summer we were also much troubled (and we believe it was 
a very general complaint) with the ravages of a black beetle, a small 
one of which we beg to send you herewith. As you will see, it has 
eaten the seed only of the unripe fruit, and we found large quantities 
of green fruit so attacked, simply the seeds being hollowed out; but 
this caused the fruit not to swell.” [It was mentioned that many of 
the beetles were larger than the specimen sent.] ‘‘ We have tried 
catching them by means of basins let in level with the ground and 
baited, and have caught a considerable number; but as we have a 
