Insects that have afforded Food to Man. 133 



Lucamis ccrvus. 



Scopoli records liis opinion, tliat the larva of Lucamis cervus 

 was probably the Cossus of Pliny, and it seems probable that 

 this opinion was correct. 



Tenehrio, Fabricius, 

 The celebrated Niebhur states in his travels, that the women of 

 Arabia and Turkey make use of a species of Tcncbrio, which is 

 found amongst the rubbish of their gardens. As plumpness is 

 thought a beauty in the east, the women, in order to obtain this 

 beauty, swallow every morning and every evening three of these 

 Tenchr'wncs fried in butter. — Vid. Niebhur's Travels, vol. ii. p. 339. 

 It will perhaps be remarked, that the name of the species is not 

 mentioned. I think it is likely that a Phnelia of the present day 

 is intended, and not a Tenehrio. As the larvae of Tenebrionidce, 

 commonly called meal-worms in England, chiefly live on flour, 

 might they not in times of scarcity be resorted to? they abound 

 in bakehouses and granaries, and often in our kitchens live under 

 the hearth-stones. Lane distinctly states that true Scarahceus is 

 eaten ; probably, therefore, other genera and species are regaled on. 



Prionus coriarius, Linn. 



The larva? of this insect, with those of Lucamis cervus, were 

 eaten by the Romans under the name of Cossus (vid. Amoreux, 

 ]). 154), and if it is allowable to add other species which were 

 probably confounded under the same name, I should mention 

 Hamntichcrus /icros, Lamia tcxior, and Morimus trislis, all in- 

 habiting southern Europe, and tolerably abundant in Italy at the 

 present day. 



Stenodontes Damicorms, Linn. 

 The larvse of this beetle are eaten in Surinam, in America, and 

 in the West Indies, both by white and black people. It is con- 

 sidered an exquisite relish, and is called by the natives the Ma- 

 cauco, or Macokko beetle. Linni\?us, in his Mantissa Plantarum, 

 published in 1771, gives us a short list of insects, where, under 

 the name of the above species, he adds the following remark : — 

 " Habitat in Jamaica, larvce in obsoniis sapidaD." 



Montac Beetle. 

 This is the larvae of one of the Prionidcs ; it is eaten at the Mau- 

 ritius when dressed, and is named the ftlontac grub; the whites as 

 well as the negroes eat it greedily. Vid. St. Pierre's Voyage. 



VOL. III. L 



