THE BEETLE. 153 



were pestered with a greater, and these insects 

 multiplied in such an amazing abundance, as to 

 destroy not only the verdure of the fields, but 

 even the roots of vegetables not yet shot forth. 

 One farm in particular was so injured by them in 

 the year 17^1, that the occupier was not able to 

 pay his rent ; and the landlord was not only con- 

 tent to lose his income for that year, but also gave 

 money for the support of the farmer and his fa- 

 mily. In Ireland they suffered so much by these 

 insects, that they came to a resolution of setting 

 fire to a wood of some miles in extent, to prevent 

 their mischievous propagation. 



Of all the beetle kind, this is the most nume- 

 rous, and therefore deserves the chief attention of 

 history. The numerous varieties of other kinds 

 might repay the curiosity of the diligent observer, 

 but we must be content in general to observe, that 

 in the great outlines of their history they resemble 

 those of which we have just been giving a descrip- 

 tion : Like them, all other beetles are bred from 

 the egg, which is deposited in the ground, or 

 sometimes, though seldom, in the barks of trees ^ 

 they change into a worm ; they subsist in that state 

 by 'living upon the roots of vegetables, or the suc- 

 culent parts of the bark round them. They gene- 

 rally live a year at least before they change into 

 an aurelia ; in that state they are not entirely mo- 

 tionless, nor entirely swaddled up without form. 



It would be tedious and endless to give a de- 

 scription of all, and yet it would be an unpardon- 

 able omission not to mention the particularities of 

 some beetles, which are singular either from their 



