Ix PESTS 177 
known by its shape, which is something like that of 
a leech, being widest at the tail and tapering gradu- 
ally to almost a point at the head. It is blind, and 
resting on its hind parts sways about the head and 
neck groping for aphides and when it finds one 
holds it up in the air and devours it, leaving the 
skin behind. I have often seen and pointed out 
this larva to friends, that it may be recognised by 
its shape and escape destruction, for in size and 
colour—green with a light central stripe—it is much 
like one of the common caterpillars; but I would 
not advise that too much reliance be placed on the 
efforts of our blind ally, for aphides can only be 
kept completely under by sharp eyes and fingers 
industriously and constantly used. 
A very beautiful lace-wing fly (Chrysopa, ie., 
golden-eyed) also lays its eggs on a strange bunch of 
stalks among aphides, and the larve when hatched 
despatch them very quickly. 
It will be seen, however, that all these insects 
naturally require the aphides to be present before 
the female will lay the eggs which are to produce the 
larvee to destroy them. We want to exterminate 
the aphis, and this is necessarily not the object of the 
aphis-eaters, for in that case their food and occupa- 
tion would be gone. 
It is said that the Government of China pays a 
handsome salary to the court physician while the 
emperor is well, stops his pay when he is ill, and 
chops off his head when he dies. This extremely 
sensible system might, with the omission of the last 
clause, be applied with great advantage by farmers 
and other residents in the country to ratcatchers and 
other professional destroyers of vermin. Unfortu- 
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