554 Insects. 



THE COCKCHAFER. (Melolonfha vulgaris.) 



THE COCKCHAFER is one of the lamellicorn beetles. The 

 female lays her eggs in the ground, and the grubs, when 

 hatched, are soft, thick, and whitish. It is from its 

 white appearance that the grub of the Cockchafer is 

 called le ver blanc by the French. These grubs, some- 

 times in immense numbers, work between the turf and 

 the soil in the richest meadows, devouring the roots of 

 the grass to such a degree that the turf rises, and will 

 roll up with almost as much ease as if it had been cut 

 with a turfing knife ; the soil underneath appearing, for 

 more than an inch in depth, like the bed of a garden. 

 In this the grubs lie, on their backs, in a curved position, 

 the head and tail uppermost, and the rest of the body 

 buried in the mould. It is also said that a whole field 

 of fine flourishing grass has become, in a few weeks, 

 withered, dry, and as brittle as hay, in consequence of 

 these grubs devouring the roots. 



In the year 1688 great numbers of Cockchafers ap- 

 peared on the hedges and trees of the south-west coast 

 of the county of Gal way, in clusters of thousands, cling- 

 ing to each others' backs, in the manner of bees when 

 they swarm. During the day they continued quiet, but 

 towards sunset the whole were in motion ; and the 

 humming noise of their wings sounded like distant 

 drums. Their numbers were so great that, for the space 

 of two or three square miles, they entirely darkened the 

 air. Persons travelling on the roads, or who were abroad 

 in the fields, found it difficult to make their way home, 

 as the insects were continually beating against their 

 faces, and occasioned great pain. In a very short time 



