44 SCARAB^ID^E — DUNG-BEETLES. 



In parts of Europe the ladies string together for neck- 

 laces the burnished v^olet-coh^red tliighs of the Geotrupes 

 stercorarius and such like brilliant species of insects.^ 



Under Copris molossus, in Donovan's Insects of China, 

 it is mentioned that the larvae of the larger kinds of coleop- 

 terous insects, abounding in unctuous moisture, are much 

 esteemed as food by the Chinese " Under the roots of 

 the canes is found a large, white grub, which, being fried 

 in oil, is eaten as a dainty by the Chinese." Donovan sug- 

 gests that perhaps this is the larvae of the Scarahaeus 

 {copris) molossus, the general description and abundance 

 of which insect in China favors such an opinion.^ 



Insects belonging to the family Scarabaeidae have been 

 used also in medicine. Pliny says the green Scarabaeus has 

 the property of rendering the sight more piercing of those 

 who gaze upon it, and that hence, engravers of precious 

 stones use these insects to steady their sight.^ 



Again, he says : "And many there be, who, by the direc- 

 tions of magicians, carrie about them in like manner," i.e. 

 tied up in a linen cloth with a red string, and attached to 

 the body, " for the quartan ague, one of these flies or bee- 

 tles that use to roll up little balls of earth."* We learn 

 from Schroder (v. 345) that the powder of the Scarabaeus 

 pilurarius '* sprinkled upon a protuberating eye or pro- 

 lapsed anus, is said to aftbrd singular relief;" and that "an 

 oil prepared of these insects by boiling in oil till they are 

 consumed, and applied to the blind haemorrhoids, by means 

 of a piece of cotton, is said to mitigate the pains thereof."^ 

 Fabricius states that the Scarabaeus (copris) molossus is 

 medicinally employed in China.^ 



We quote the following from Moufet : " The Beetle en- 

 graven on an emerald yeelds a present remedy against all 

 witchcrafts, and no less effectual than that moly which Mer- 

 cury once gave Ulysses. Nor is it good only against 

 these, but it is also very useful, if any one be about to go 

 before the king upon any occasion, so that such a ring 

 ought especially to be worn by them that intend to beg of 



1 Kirb. and Sp. Introd., i. 33. 



2 Ins. of China, p. 6. 



^ Nat. Hist, xxix. 6 (38). 



* Nat. Hist., XXX. 11 (30). Holland, Trans., ii. 390. 



5 James' Med. Diet. 



^ Donovan's Ins. of China, p. 6. 



