THE JUNE-BUG 



handkerchief, or in your cap. You bring a supply 

 of green leaves. 



"And now for your experiments ! You tie a long 

 string to the leg of one of the beetles and put the 

 insect in the sun. It inflates and deflates its belly, 

 raises its wing-sheaths, and expands its wings. 

 There it goes, into the air. Your experiment has 

 succeeded. These delights of the JuneJbug season, 

 my children — enjoy them as long as you can. Other 

 pleasures pale beside them. In view of the amuse- 

 ment it affords you I gladly welcome the June-bug. 

 But turn now to a less pleasing aspect of the matter. 



"Like every other insect, the June-bug is at first 

 a grub. In that form it lives three years in the 

 ground, whereas in its final state, when it is found 

 on trees and bushes, it lives but two or three weeks. 

 This grub or larva is commonly called the white 

 grub, also the fish-worm, and sometimes the ground- 

 hog. Look at it carefully for a moment and tell me 

 what you see." 



"I see," answered Louis, "a fat, big-bellied worm, 

 slow in its movements, and fond of lying curled up on 

 its side. It is of a whitish color with a yellowish 

 head." 



"Yes, and what else?" 



"It has six legs, not made for running on the sur- 

 face of the ground, but for crawling underneath ; and 

 it has strong jaws for biting the roots of plants. Its 

 head is capped with horn to help it in boring through 

 the soil." 



"Very good," was Uncle Paul's approving com- 



