240 THE ROSE-CHAFER. 



to be injurious to the gardener from their devouring 

 the roots ot his plants and trees. The female depo- 

 sits her eggs in the middle of June. For this pur- 

 pose she burrows into soft light ground, hollowing 

 out and forming for them a proper receptacle. 

 When the operation is over she returns to the sur- 

 face, and flies off, but seldom lives more than two 

 months afterwards. The grubs are produced in 

 about fourteen days, and immediately seek out for 

 food, which the parent always takes care to have 

 near the place where she lays her eggs. As soon as 

 they have attained sufficient strength, the young 

 grubs separate, each burrowing a different way in 

 search of roots. They remain four years in this state, 

 annually changing their skin till they become of full 

 growth, when they are of a cream colour, with 

 brown head and feet. During winter they eat but 

 little, if at all, and retire so deep into the ground as 

 to avoid the effects of the frost. 



About the month of March, at the end of the 

 fourth year, the grub forms a case of earth, about the 

 size of a walnut, somewhere near the surface, within 

 which it changes into a chrysalis. In this state it re- 

 mains till the beginning of May, when it bursts out 

 a perfect Chafer. This is at first of a light green co- 

 lour, and very tender j but it soon acquires its pro- 

 per hardness and strength. 



When the insect is touched it emits a fetid mois- 

 ture. This is, no doubt, a mode of defence against 

 the attacks of its enemies *. 



* Harris's Aurelian, 37. 



