THE BEETLE. 375 



evening buzz, to children ; but still more formidably introduced 

 to the acquaintance of husbandmen and gardeners ; for, in some 

 seasons, it has been found to swarm in such numbers as to eat 

 up every vegetable production. 



The two sexes in the May-bug are easily distinguished from 

 each other, by the superior length of the tufts, at the end of the 

 horns, in the male. They begin to copulate in summer ; and 

 at that season they are seen joined together a considerable time. 

 The female being impregnated, quickly falls to boring a hole into 

 the ground, where to deposit her burden. This is generally 

 about half a foot deep, and in it she places her eggs, which arc 

 of an oblong shape, with great regularity, one by the other. 

 They are of a bright yellow colour, and no way wrapped up in a 

 common covering, as some have imagined. When the female 

 is lightened of her burden, she again ascends from her hole, to 

 live as before, upon leaves and vegetables, to buzz in the sum- 

 mer evening, and to lie hid among the branches of trees in the 

 heat of the day. 



In about three months after these eggs have been thus depo- 

 sited in the earth, the contained insect begins to break its shell, 

 and a small grub or maggot crawls forth, and feeds upon the 

 roots of whatever vegetable it happens to be nearest. 



All substances of this kind seem equally grateful, yet it is 

 probable the mother insect has a choice among what kind of 

 vegetables she shall deposit her young. In this manner these 

 voracious creatures continue in the worm state, for more than 

 three years, devouring the roots of every plant they approach, 

 and making their way under ground, in quest of food, with great 

 despatch and facility. At length they grow to above the size 

 of a walnut, being a great thick white maggot with a red head, 

 which is seen most frequently in new-turned earth, and which 

 is so eagerly sought after by birds of every species. WIhmi 

 largest, they are found an inch and a half long, of a whitish yel- 

 low colour, with a body consisting of twelve segments or joints, 

 on each side of which there are nine breathing-holes, and three 

 red feet. The head is large in proportion to the body, of a red- 

 dish colour, with a pincer before, and a semi-circular lip, with 

 which it cuts the roots of plants, and sucks out their moisture. 

 As this insect lives entirely under ground, it has no occasion for 

 eyes, and accordingly it is found to have none ; but is furnished 



