CANTHARIDES HARVEST. 157 



The early history of this insect is not well 

 known. The female buries her eggs in the 

 ground ; the larvae have a soft body of a yellowish 

 white colour ; they live in the earth, and feed on 

 various roots. When full grown they change into 

 the nymph state in the earth, and do not emerge 

 from it until they have assumed the perfect insect 

 form. 



They are very abundant in Spain and in the 

 South of France, especially in June, when they 

 assemble in swarms. This is the time for gather- 

 ing them, and the hour of sunset or sunrise is 

 chosen for the purpose, as they are then in a some- 

 what torpid state. They are found upon ash-trees, 

 honey-suckles, lilacs, rose-trees, poplars, elms, &c., 

 the leaves of which they devour, and when this 

 food fails they attack corn and grass, and do much 

 damage. The swarms are preceded by a foetid 

 odour resembling that of mice. They are gathered 

 in various ways ; the most simple is to spread 

 cloths under the tree upon which a swarm has 

 settled, and then to shake them down ; they are 

 afterwards collected upon a hair sieve, and held 



