30 CORN AND GRASS. 



what raised. Epistoma tbree times as broad as long. Tiiird joint of 

 antemiffi nearly one-third shorter than first joint. Tibiae of legs one- 

 fourth shorter than femora. Claws of legs diminishing very greatly in 

 size in successive pairs, most markedly and abruptly in those of third 

 pair. Abdomen clavate. Anal valves sharply marked off; upper valve 

 triangular, lower valve trilobed. Anterior spiracles short ovate, 

 posterior orbicular. 



Prevention and Eemedies. — So far as appears at present the only 

 really reliable remedy for Rose Chafer attack is shaking or beating 

 down the beetles (see p. 25) in the evening, or early morning, when 

 they are torpid from weather effects, or other causes. If they are 

 shaken down when they are not disposed to fly (as at dusk, in the 

 evening, or in the cool morning hours), they may be destroyed in great 

 numbers. This may be done by hand-picking the fallen Chafers, and 

 scalding them, or they may be gathered off cloths, or sheets of any 

 kind, which have been laid beneath the infested trees before shaking 

 the beetles down, and these collections thrown into scalding water, or 

 into any mixture which will kill them. Where they have to be 

 destroyed on a large scale (similarly to Cockchafer beetles), it may 

 answer to have pigs ready to devour them. But it is important in both 

 cases to be sure to take the time when the beetle is quiet, for with the 

 Cockchafer the dusk hours are its special flight time. Clearing the beetles 

 in this way necessarily lessens the amount which would otherwise lay 

 eggs in the Grass fields, or lawns, or other localities suitable for the 

 purpose. 



When the second stage of the attack is doing damage in the form 

 of the maggots feeding at the roots of Grass, then the chief practicable 

 remedy appears to be to take care that the flocks of birds, which tear 

 up the surface of the lawns or Grass lands to get at the grubs, should 

 not be disturbed at their work. It will be seen in the preceding pages 

 that the starlings are particularly useful in clearing the grubs ; they 

 are mentioned as coming " in large flocks " ; "in thousands " ; and 

 also the ground being " black with starlings and missel thrushes." 

 Books also are noticed as doing good service in digging up the grubs ; 

 and in another observation, a note is given of " birds of all kinds 

 feeding greedily all day." Poultry also of various kinds aided in 

 clearing. Whether turning pigs (not too much rung in the nose) on to 

 the infested ground might not be a still better way of getting the 

 maggots destroyed, is open to doubt ; but the more complete ruin of the 

 turf by the ploughing up of their noses than even what is caused by the 

 tearing of the birds, makes the plan objected to. 



The depth at which the grubs lie beneath the ground makes it 

 exceedingly difficult to deal with them by applications of surface 



