|30jiular JBtcttonarj) at gmmatctt Mature. 141 



in that state four seasons, this single pair, 

 with their family alone, without reckoning 

 their descendants after the first year, would 

 destroy eighty thousand grubs. Let us sup- 

 pose that the half, namely, forty thousand, 

 are females, and it is known that they usu- 

 ally lay about two hundred eggs each ; it 

 will appear that no less than eight millions 

 have been destroyed, or prevented from 

 being hatched, by the labours of a single 

 family of jays. It is by reasoning in this 

 way, that we learn to know of what import- 

 ance it is to attend to the economy of nature, 

 and to be cautious how we derange it by our 

 short-sighted and futile operations. 



From Vincent Kollar's useful work on the 

 injuries done to vegetation by various insects, 

 (translated from the German by the Misses 

 Loudon) we derive the following informa- 

 tion. " The May-bug is able to do mischief 

 in a double form ; viz. as larva and beetle, 

 in seasons when its increase exceeds the pro- 

 per limits. The larvae spare neither meadow 

 nor corn-fields ; they often destroy potatoes 

 and other vegetables, and even gnaw the 

 roots of trees and vines, so as to make them 

 sickly. They do particular injury in nur- 

 series, where seeds are raised, to the young 

 plants. By attentively observing the appear- 

 ance of the young trees, the presence of the 

 larvae of the May-bug gnawing at the roots 

 may be detected. The plants thus deprived 

 of their roots become yellow and parched, 

 and are easily taken out of the ground. 

 Young fir-trees are not less exposed to the 

 attacks of this insect than deciduous trees. 

 These insects must not be looked for under 

 the already parched-up trees, but under those 

 that are withering ; as the former are already 

 deserted from want of nourishment. The 

 fully formed beetle is still more destructive 

 than the larvae. It attacks cherry, apple, 

 pear, and nut trees, the vine, the oak, and 

 the beech, &c. in multitudes. The leaves 

 and fruit of the trees, when this is the case, 

 are completely destroyed ; and the stems, 

 full of sap, become unhealthy, and either 

 recover slowly, or die off. It is worthy of 

 remark, that these insects spare the lime- 

 tree. It is natural that the agriculturist, 

 gardener, and forester should try to discover 

 a method by which so powerful an enemy 

 in their peculiar province may be lessened 

 in number or destroyed. It is impossible 

 to search for the small eggs in the earth; and 

 to dig up the grubs that lie deep in the 

 ground would be attended with an expense 

 which would far exceed that of the ravages 

 they commit, while collecting those which 

 are thrown up by the plough and the spade 

 is not to be taken into consideration. Nothing 

 remains to be done but to catch the fully- 

 formed beetle. Nature, however, as in all 

 other extreme visitations, has provided a 

 more effectual remedy for this evil than can 

 be devised by man. Pigs, moles, field-mice, 

 a multitude of birds (particularly the crow, 

 raven, jackdaw, the woodpecker, and the 

 hawk), and even the large ground-beetles, 

 (Carabidce) instinctively search out the May- 

 bug and its larvae to feed on. Unfavourable 

 weather often comes on, and if the month 

 of May is wet and cold, the success of the 



May-bug is at an end ; but in order to aid in 

 lessening their too great increase, country 

 magistrates and managers of forests should 

 issue a strict order every spring to the far- 

 mers, gardeners, and labourers, to search for 

 and collect these insects as soon as they 

 appear in the gardens, hedges, and forests. 

 For this purpose the children of the pea- 

 santry in the country, and those of the lower 

 classes in towns, should be employed and 

 encouraged by rewards. This business should 

 take place in the morning, because the May- 

 bugs, which have been sitting on the blos- 

 soms of the trees during the night have be- 

 come as if torpid, and as long as the branches 

 remain still they do not cling tightly to 

 them with their hooks; in this state they 

 can easily be thrown down in heaps. In 

 shaking the trees, care should be taken that 

 there are no nails or iron on the soles or 

 heels of the shoes of the boys who climb up 

 the branches, so that the abundant sap and 

 tender bark of the trees may not be injured. 

 In order to facilitate the collecting of the 

 fallen beetles, a linen cloth should be spread 

 under each tree, otherwise they will crawl 

 away in the grass. This practice should be 

 continued throughout May, and even to the 

 beginning of June. The collected insects 

 may be killed by pouring boiling water over 

 them, and given as food to fowls and swine j 

 or they may be burnt. It is not advisable 

 either to bury them or to throw them into 

 ponds or rivers, because they would make 

 their way out again, and commit new ra- 

 vages. Nurseries are best protected by leaves 

 being strewed over the surface of the ground, 

 because (as it is asserted) the beetle never 

 lays its eggs in ground covered with litter. 



" Another method of setting a limit to the 

 too great increase of the Cockchafer consists 

 in sparing those birds before named which 

 feed on them, and amongst them the crow 

 undoubtedly claims the first place. These 

 birds follow the plough for the express pur- 

 pose of consuming worms, the larvae of 

 insects, and particularly those of the Cock- 

 chafer, which are thrown on the surface by 

 the plough. The instinct of the crow to go 

 in quest of this grub, may also be observed 

 in gardens and other places where vegetables 

 are planted. It walks about between the 

 plants, and soon as it sees one that has be- 

 gun to wither, it approaches it with a joyful 

 spring, digs with its sharp bill deep into the 

 ground near the plant, and knows so well 

 now to seize its prey, that it draws it forth 

 and swallows it almost in the same moment. 

 The crows do the same in meadows, which 

 we sometimes see completely covered with 

 them." 



COCKATOO. The Cockatoos belong to 

 the Psittacidce, or Parrot family, but are 

 distinguished from the true parrots, and all 

 others, by a crest, or tuft of elegant feathers, 

 on the head, which they can raise or depress 

 at pleasure. They are in general natives of 

 Australia and the Indian islands, inhabiting 

 the woods, and feeding upon seeds and 

 fruits. They make their nests in decayed 

 trees, and if taken at an early age are easily 

 tamed. 



