THE BLOSSOM EATER. 399 



are of a violet hue. The elytra are coriaceous, and feeru 

 as if cut through obliquely from the inner to the exterior 

 edges, being thicker at their future thnn at the fides. Some 

 naturalifts have termed this fpecies the un6tuous cantharis, 

 from that fat, oilj, and fragrant fubftancc, which exfudes 

 from the body *. This oleaginous matter enters into the 

 compofition of fnlve for plague-fores; and is deemed an 

 excellent antidote againfl the poifpn of the fcorpion's 

 fling. 



Meloe velicatorius. This is the fpecies fo frequently 

 ufed in pharmacy ; an iniecl to which man is perhaps 

 more deeply indebted, than to any individual belonging 

 to this clafs of beings. The bliftering cantharis is about 

 nine lines in length ; the colour a refulgent green, mix- 

 ed with azure. In the fouthern parts of Exirope it mul- 

 tiplies exceedingly ; fome of the provinces of Spain an- 

 nually receive a large fum for thofe they export to the 

 reft of Europe. They are there feen flying in vaft 

 fwarms, and alighting upon trees and flirubs, whofe leaves 

 they devour. They are faid to prefer the alli leaf to that 

 of any tree in the .forell ; but whatever leaves they de- 

 vour, they are imiformly accompanied with a heavy 

 naufeous fmell, like that of mice, and thence their haunts 

 ^re difcovered by thofe who go in quell of them. 



In their humid and living flate, tlie oucur exhaled 

 from tliefe infe(Els is fo corrolive and irritating, that the 

 gathering tliem is attended v;ith danger. In that occu- 

 pation, the labourers, who imprudently collc6l them in 

 the heat of the day, and with their hands uncovered, are 

 frequently feized with a violent heat of urine, and void- 

 ing of blood. The fame accidents beial thofe who un- 

 yvarily ilcep under tlie trees they frequent. 



Th^ 



* I>iile Pharm- p. 391. 



