HETEBONYCHUS ARATOR. 7 



or three years before they attack the crops on it. Even 

 in the same field they sometimes leave large patches 

 unmolested. It also destroys potatoes, eating them out 

 and leaving only the empty skin. The remedy proposed 

 by Dr. Becker and the Eev. N. Abraham consists of traps 

 of manure placed at intervals throughout the fields, in 

 which heaps the beetles will doubtless lay their eggs. 

 When the grubs are hatched the heaps may be carted 

 away to the fowl-yard, where they will be speedily put 

 an end to. 



Farmers complain, however, that these beetles are 

 found on lands that have never been manured, and 

 therefore conclude that the above remedy is useless. 

 One farmer put lime on his field, and reports that it 

 has killed the beetles. 



Mr. Bairstow mentions that numerous reports are to 

 hand of the destructiveness of this beetle, which, either in 

 the larval or perfect stage, creates great havoc amongst 

 crops ; also that he has observed it in thousands on a 

 hot night at Emerald Hill. 



The following observations, contributed by Mr. Fred. 

 E. Schauble, of Stortge, refer to this pest under the local 

 name of " Keever-beetle " : 



" These insects have for the last three or four years 

 been very destructive in our crops. The beetle goes by 

 the name of ' Keever ' amongst the farmers, and I have 

 no doubt is well known They are rarely seen above- 

 ground, and bite off the crops about an inch under- 

 ground. Last year they were very partial and par- 

 ticularly destructive, in some cases destroying as many 

 as fifteen to twenty acres of growing wheat. As a rule, 



they are principally found in red ground Just now 



they are doing a great deal of damage; some of my 

 neighbours say that we are generally troubled by them 

 in dry seasons. They feed on the crops from the time 

 they are grown three or four inches above the ground. 



" My object in writing to you and sending the sample 

 of beetle is to see if you can perhaps advise me how to 

 destroy them whether anything can be applied to the 



