BEETLES. 63 



ered eighty bushels of these obnoxious creatures, but still 

 his farm, for the season, was destroyed. 



142. At the close of the fourth year, these larvae con- 

 struct for themselves large oval cocoons, having first de- 

 scended to the depth, it is said, sometimes of five or six 

 feet below the surface of the ground. 



143. These cocoons are of an oval form, of considerable 

 bulk, and are constructed with a good deal of ingenuity, 

 and reference to comfort, being wove of silk and lined with 

 the same. 



144. Fig. 39 shows the section of Fig. 39. 

 one of these cases with the worm in 



it. The covering of this chrysalis is 

 so thin and transparent that all parts 

 of the insect may be seen through 

 it. In the month of February, the 

 perfect insect rends its envelope, 

 and emerges from it, though still 

 several feet under ground. It is now yellowish, soft, and 

 weak, but gradually acquires strength and firmness, and 

 begins slowly to make its way toward the surface. This, 

 however, it does not reach until May, when it is not un- 

 common to find these yellowish bugs, as they are called, 

 just under the surface, and about which time they as- 

 sume their new and elevated condition as inhabitants of 

 the air. 



145. The cockchafer is Fig. 40. 

 a strong insect, of a yel- 

 lowish brown color ; an- 



tennse largely club-shaped; 

 the feet armed with sharp 

 claws, and the body some- 

 what hairy. Fig. 40 rep- 

 resents this insect of the 

 natural size. 



146. During the day these beetles remain motionless 

 sometimes concealing themselves under the bark of trees, 

 and about fences ; but 9n the setting of the sun, they is- 

 sue forth from their hiding-places to feed on the leaves 

 of various 'trees, and sometimes their numbers are sucn 

 as to do as much mischief in their perfect state, as they 



5* 



