THE SPRING-BEETLES. 53 



several grubs allied to this destructive insect, which are 

 quite common in land newly broken up ; but fortunately, 

 as yet, their ravages are inconsiderable. We may expect 

 these to increase in proportion as we disturb them and de- 

 prive them of their usual articles of food, while we continue 

 also to persecute and destroy their natural enemies, the birds, 

 and may then be obliged to resort to the ingenious method 

 adopted by European farmers and gardeners for alluring 

 and capturing these grubs. This method consists in strew- 

 ing sliced potatoes or turnips in rows through the garden or 

 field ; women and boys are employed to examine the slices 

 every morning, and collect the insects which readily come to 

 feed upon the bait. Some of these destructive insects, which 

 I have found in the ground among the roots of plants, were 

 long, slender, worm-like grubs, closely resembling the com- 

 mon meal-worm ; they were nearly cylindrical, with a hard 

 and smooth skin, of a buff or brownish-yellow color, the 

 head and tail only being a little darker; each of the first 

 three rings was provided with a pair of short legs ; the hind- 

 most ring was longer than the preceding one, was pointed at 

 the end, and had a little pit on each side of the extremity ; 

 beneath this part there was a short retractile wart, or prop- 

 leg, serving to support the extremity of the body, and prevent 

 it from trailing on the ground. Other grubs of Elaters differ 

 from the foregoing in being proportionally broader, not cy- 

 lindrical, but somewhat flattened, with a deep notch at the 

 extremity of the last ring, the sides of which are beset with 

 little teeth. Such grubs are mostly wood-eaters, devouring 

 the woody parts of roots, or living under the bark and in the 

 trunks of old trees. 



After their last transformation, Elaters or spring-beetles 

 make their appearance upon trees and fences, and some are 

 found on flowers. They creep slowly, and generally fall to 

 the ground on being touched. They fly both by day and 

 night. Their food, in the beetle state, appears to be chiefly 

 derived from flowers ; but some devour the tender leaves 

 of plants. 



