INSECTS COLEOPTERA DIAGRAM 6 ll7 



enemy ; but as it hides under ground, it is always difficult to get 

 at it. The best plan is to collect very carefully all the 

 cockchafers, which are found turned up by the plough ; but it 

 must be remarked that this plan is only available when the 

 cockchafers are still near the surface, in spring, or the beginning 

 of autumn. If we wish to destroy them in quantity, we must 

 do the work at the exact depth where the grubs are. If they 

 are only two or three inches from the surface, as sometimes 

 happens, deep digging would turn up very few ; but if they are 

 far from it, a superficial examination is altogether useless. But 

 it is easy to ascertain first Avith a spade at what depth the grubs 

 are, and consequently at what depth it is necessary to work. 



In the perfect state there is only one way of destroying the 

 cockchafers, namely, to collect as many as possible, for which 

 the local authorities ought to pay as much as they can. One 

 remark must however be made. The cockchafers that the 

 collectors should be paid for, ought to be all alive, or else it is 

 useless to collect them ; and they ought to be paid for very dear 

 during the first few days of their appearance, and the price 

 should be lowered afterwards. The reason is that during the 

 first few days they have not yet deposited their eggs ; and are 

 consequently of great importance ; whereas it is not much use to 

 collect cockchafers at the end of the season which have already 

 laid 50 or 60 eggs in the ground, which will produce as many 

 grubs in succeeding years ; at this time it is useless to continue 

 the pursuit of cockchafers, and it is wasting public money to pay 

 for them. 



The cockchafers thus collected form when mixed with earth a 

 good manure. The best way of killing them is to plunge the 

 bags in which they are brought into boiling water. 



Cantha/rides. The name of cantharides is often applied to all 

 bright green beetles. But the true Cantharis is a rarity in the 

 South of England, and is too scarce to be of any commercial 

 importance. It is met with in May and June on jasmines, 

 ashtrees, and lilacs. There is a great trade in cantharides for 



