Ferepay.—On the Injuries to Vegetation by Insects. 293 
intimately connected with the things they destroy, that we cannot effectually 
apply any direct remedy, without at the same time destroying or injuring what 
we attempt to preserve. It is an error to suppose that caterpillars, or the 
larvee of insects, are to any considerable extent affected by atmospheric forces, 
The severest frost does not destroy their vitality, for if they fail to finda 
sufficient shelter torpidity only is produced. I have myself taken caterpillars 
from the snow so entirely frozen as to have become brittle as glass, and yet, 
when exposed to the warmth, they have quickly revived and resumed their 
activity, without having suffered any apparent injury. When inundations or 
heavy falls of rain take place, and the ground becomes completely covered 
with water for days or weeks, considerable mortality is probably caused 
amongst the caterpillars ; but such occurrences are only occasional and local. 
Our only remedy is an indirect one, and that I conceive to be the employ- 
ment of insectivorous animals to do the work for us; and for this purpose 
insectivorous birds stand prominent. I consider it to be our duty not only to 
protect the few indigenous birds that yet remain, but to continue to introduce 
others, until we have restored the balance which has been disturbed. 
Of indigenous insectivorous and insect-destroying animals already existing 
in this locality, the following list, I think, comprises most of those which are 
of prominent importance, namely :— 
Bats—entirely insectivorous, and of which, I believe, we have more than 
one species, but the individuals do not appear to be very numerous. 
Gulls and terns, or sea-swallows—visiting the fields in flocks, and picking 
up slugs, worms, and grubs. 
Larks—of which we have one species only—-and a few small birds seen in 
the bush, and in our gardens. 
We have also the Zosterops, commonly called “ blight-birds,” from their 
feeding on the American blight (Aphis lanigera), but they, though there is 
no direct evidence of their introduction, are considered not indigenous. 
Lizards, spiders, dragon-flies, which are all entirely insectivorous. 
Beetles, of which we have numerous species of the Carabide family, whose 
habit is (to use the words of Dr. Carpenter) “to prowl about on the surface of 
the ground, under stones, etc., beneath the bark of trees or moss growing upon 
their roots, in search of their insect prey, which consists chiefly of herbivorous 
species of their own order. Some of them nocturnal in their habits, feeding on 
cockchafers and other species of herbivorous beetles that fly abroad during the 
And two species at least of the family of the Coccinellide, commonly 
called “ lady-birds,” or “lady-cows,” whose larve feed entirely upon A phides. 
Flies—of which we have two species most destructive to moths and flies, 
namely, Asilus varius, and Doctria, ( species) which dart from their resting 
place with exceeding rapidity, and seize their prey on the wing. 
