ENTOMOLOGY. 565 



Yoi'k, states tluat in 1S54 the destruction to the wlieat crop, caused by the wheat 

 midge, amounted to over fifteen hundred thousand dollars. Considering the loss 

 to the wheat crop alone caused by the ravages of only three minute insects, viz., 

 the wheat midge, the Hessian fly, and the grain weevil, to say nothing of the 

 various other crops and fruit, the most sceptical of unbelievers will be convinced 

 of the importance of instituting a regular series of inquiries and experiments ra 

 order to destroy them, and of making the results known to the public through 

 the medium of the Report of this department, or the pages of local agricultural 

 journals. It is true that many of the remedies already proposed by closet 

 naturalists or book farmers, are almost as absurd as old Pliny's receipt to make 

 a swarm of bees, namely, that if the swarm is entirely lost it may be replaced 

 by the aid of the belly of an ox newly killed, covered with dung. Virgil also 

 says that this maybe done with the body of a young bull, and in the same way 

 that the cai'case of a horse produces wasps and hornets, and that of an ass, 

 beetles. — (Pliny III, 24.) In like manner, in our time, we see it has been 

 recommended to swathe or clothe the trunk of plum trees with cotton batting to 

 pi'event the plum weevil from laboriously climbing up the tree to deposit her 

 eggs in the plums, altogether ignoring the fact that the said curculio can fly, 

 and thus reach the forbidden fruit much more rapidly and readily. Again, we 

 see it recommended to put a roll of brimstone or flour of sulphur into an auger 

 bole bored in the trunks of trees to kill the caterpillars and insects which de- 

 stroy the foliage ; whereas any chemist knows that sulphur being insoluble in 

 water will not mingle Avith the sap, but remain unchanged and undiminished for 

 an indefinite period of time. These two examples we have merely mentioned 

 to prove how absurd it is to recommend remedies without first inquiring into 

 the habits of the insect or nature of the plant. 



COLEOPTEBA. 



"We will now commence with the Colcoptera, or horny-case winged insects, 

 the larvae of which are mostly naked grubs of a white or yellowish color. 

 They are furnished with a distinct head, and some of them have six legs, 

 whilst others have no legs whatever ; they live concealed under the earth or 

 stones, beneath the bark, and in the wood of trees, or sometimes upon the 

 leaves of plants and trees. In the pupa (or second state) they lie with their 

 limbs drawn closely to the body and pass that state in cavities made by the 

 larvae, unprotected by any silken web. The Cicindelidse, or tiger-beetles, so 

 named from their activity, bright colors, and ferocity, in. both the larva and 

 perfect state, live by preying upon other insects ; in the larva state they live 

 in holes in the ground, seizing and devouring any unfortunate insect which 

 may happen to cross the opening of their dens. Boys frequently catch them 

 for fish-bait by inserting a stalk of grass into the hole. This is seized by the 

 jaws of the larva, which is then suddenly brought to the surfiice with a jerk 

 as soon as the insect has taken firm hold. 



The perfect tiger-beetles are of bright metallic colors, and barred or spotted 

 with creamy white; they may be seen on any hot, sunshiny day running or 

 flying a short distance, and then alighting on the ground on roads and iu sandy 

 situations. The predaceous ground-beetles, or CarahidcB, are also beneficial, as 

 preying upon other insects and caterpillars. There is one of this family, how- 

 ever, (Pangus caliginosus,) the habits of which require further investigation, 

 as it has been accused of preying upon wheat; and what renders this charge 

 more probable is the fact that tAvo European insects of the same family {Zahrus 

 gihbm and Harpalus ruficornis) are said to eat grain. This large brownish 

 black beetle certainly is found in immense numbers under wheat stacks, but 

 may possibly frequent such situations merely for the sake of the shade, mois- 

 ture, and small insects commonly found in these places. But in tAvo instances 



