CHAP. TT. VERMIX. 45 



and as thick round as a man's little finger, of a chocolate- 

 brown colour. It bores deep circuitous cylindrical passages in 

 the borders, in which it lurks during the day. At the dusk of 

 evening it issues forth and fills the air with its shrill loud 

 whizzing-kind of chirp. During the night it employs itself in 

 nipping off the stems of whatever young plants may be in its 

 neighbourhood, a portion of which it drags down into its retreat. 

 I have in vain endeavoured to dig it out, as it always eluded 

 my search. I found, however, by pouring a large can of water 

 into its hole, it immediately came to the surface, when I was 

 able to seize and destroy it. Before pouring down the water, 

 notice must be taken whether the hole be one that has been 

 vacated or not. The presence of the insect in the hole may be 

 easily known by the orifice being strewn with fresh earth, like 

 the castings of a worm, very frequently with a leaf or two drawn 

 over. When the hole has been deserted, it is left without any 

 such attempt at concealment. 



CATERPILLAKS. As far as my observation goes, gardens in 

 India do not, on the whole, seem to suffer much from the depre- 

 dations of caterpillars ; though there are some few plants, those 

 of the genus Asclepias perhaps in particular, very liable to be 

 consumed by them. Some species of Crinum also, and plants 

 of that description, are occasionally devoured by them to the 

 very heart in an incredibly short time. I know of no way of 

 preventing their ravages but by frequently searching the plants 

 upon which they prey, and destroying them when found. I 

 have never, that I remember, had to complain of injury done 

 by them to my plantations of Cabbages and Cauliflowers ; but 

 it would appear that all are not equally fortunate, according to 

 Captain Weston, who observes : " When Cabbages, Cauliflowers, 

 &c., are planted out in the garden, brandy or white claret 

 bottles should be hung up on sticks in squares of about fifteen 

 feet apart each. They prevent the appearance of the caterpillar 

 on them. A field of Cabbages opposite my garden had men all 

 day picking them out, and my garden had not one in it"" 

 The efficacy of this plan I have understood was communicated 

 to Captain Weston by a gardener in England. There may 

 possibly be something in the glitter of the glass which scares 

 away the butterflies, and prevents them from settling upon the 



* ' Journal of the Agri-Hort. Society/ vol. x. p. 86. 



