THE COCK-CHAFER. 23$ 



and through which alone it could receive nourish- 

 ment *. 



The Iarvse, as I have said, continue four years in 

 the ground ; and when, at the end of this periods 

 they are about to undergo their change, they dig 

 deep into the earth, sometimes five or six feet, and 

 there spin a smooth case, in which they change into 

 a chrysalis. They remain under this form all winter 

 till the month of February, when they become per- 

 fect beetles, but with their boaies quite soft and 

 white. In May the parts are hardened, and they 

 then come forth out of the earth. This accounts for 

 our often finding the perfect insects in the ground. 



Cock-chafers fly in the evening towards sunset, 

 and particularly about places where there are trees. 

 They eat the leaves of the sycamore, the lime, the 

 beech, the willow, and those of all kinds of fruit- 

 trees. In its winged state this insect exhibits not 

 less voracity on the leaves of trees than it before did 

 in its grubs tate in the earth ; for, such is the avidity 

 with which it devours its food, and so immense are 

 sometimes the numbers, that, in particular districts, 

 they have become an oppressive scourge, which 

 has produced much calamity, among the people. 



In the year 1688, the Cock-chafers appeared on 

 the hedges and trees of the south-west coast of the 

 county of Galway, in clusters of thousands, clinging 

 to each other's backs in the manner of bees when 

 they swarm. During the day they continued quiet, 

 but towards sun-set the w r hole were in motion ; and 



Phil. Tran, vol. xliv. p. 579, 



