320 



FAGUS. 



are the most interesting : of the Bombyces, Stauropus fagi 

 (Lobster moth), Lopliopteryx camelina, Petasia cassinea, 

 Endromis versicolor, and Agldia Tau ; amongst the Noctu- 

 idse, are Orthosia stabilis, and Catocala fraxini ; and of 

 the Greometridse, Himera pennaria, Lobophora hexapterata, 

 Epione vespertaria, Drepana tmguicula, and Hylopliila 

 prasinaria. In spring, when the leaves first burst, they 

 are frequently riddled with innumerable holes by Orchestes 

 calcar, a small saltatorial weevil. Psylla fagi, whose larvse 

 and pupae, covered like the Eriosoma with a white cottony 

 substance, inhabit the under surface of the leaves, are also 

 often very numerous. 



The fungi belonging to the Beech are several, as may 

 be seen from the list in the " Arboretum Britanniciun." 

 Amongst the most interesting is the Tuber cibarium 

 (Truffle), which is found growing beneath the surface in 

 old Beech woods, and is highly prized in cookery ; Helvetia 

 esculenta, also, another edible fungus, and flavoured like 

 the morel, is frequently abundant under the Beech. After 

 the extensive list given by Loudon of the finest and largest 

 Beech trees that have existed, or are now growing in 

 Britain, we deem it unnecessary to occupy the time or 

 attention of our readers with a further enumeration, more 

 particularly as there is scarcely a district or park within 

 the kingdom that does not possess fine and well-grown 

 specimens : we shall only add, that a height of ninety 

 or one hundred feet, with a circumference of stem from 

 twelve up to twenty-two feet, is not rare among the ex- 

 amples given of the Beech. 



