MOTIONS OF INSECTS. 345 



badly. The strokes of their wings being frequent, and 

 their flight short, uncertain, heavy, and laborious, they 

 can use their wings only in very calm weather, the least 

 wind beating them down. Yet he allows that others, 

 whose body is lighter, rise 'into the air and fly with a 

 little more ease ; especially when the weather is warm 

 and dry, their flights however being short, though fre- 

 quent. He asserts also, that no coleopterous insect can 

 fly against the wind a . These observations may hold 

 perhaps with respect to many species ; but they will by 

 no means apply generally. The cockchafer (Melolontha 

 vulgaris), if thrown into the air in the evening, its time 

 of flight, will take wing before it falls to the ground. 

 The common dung-chafer (Geotrupes stercorarius) 

 wheeling from side to side like the humble-bee flies 

 with great rapidity and force, and, with all its dung-de- 

 vouring confederates, directs its flight with the utmost 

 certainty, and probably often against the wind, to its 

 food. The root-devourers or tree-chafers (Melolontha, 

 Hoplia, &c.) support themselves, like swarming bees, 

 in the air and over the trees, flying round in all direc- 

 tions. The Bracliyptera and Donacice, in warm weather, 

 fly off from their station with the utmost ease ; their 

 wings are unfolded, and they are in the air in an in- 

 stant, especially the latter, as I have often found when 

 I have attempted to take them. None are more re- 

 markable for this than the Cicindelte, which, however, 

 taking very short flights, are as easily marked down as 

 a partridge, and affords as much amusement to the 

 entomologist, as the latter to the sportsman. It is to 

 be observed that many insects in this order have no 

 * Entomol. i. 1. 



