14 THE OLIVE FLY. 



the horns and hoofs of domestic animals, and old woollen 

 rags are used in Bordighera for this purpose. 



When wandering among the olive groves of Bor- 

 dighera in the spring, care must be taken to a\'oid the 

 shots of the "Cacciatori", for at this time of the year 

 these "sportsmen" invade every grove, garden and glade 

 in order to shoot small birds — tlie onh- game to be 

 had. This passion has ver}' serious consequences on tlie 

 Italian Riviera, and indeed throughout the «'hole of 

 Itah'. for the destruction of the birds results in a corre- 

 sponding increase of insects. Not onh' do the cheerful 

 songsters which gladden the woods and gardens of 

 Other lands, disappear from Ital}-, but the number of 

 insect pests is scrioush' augmented. 



Dams oleac, the Olive fly, is especialh' injurious, as 

 it feeds on the pulp of the olives. It is called by the 

 French "La Mouche", and by the Italians "Macha del 

 Olivo''. This 1I\' la\-s its eggs in the ver\' \OLnig berries ; 

 and the grubs, when the)- hatch, live on the maturing 

 fruit. vShould these worm-eaten oli\'es be taken to the 

 mill, the\- depreciate the C]ualitv of the oil. 



From a ramble among the 01i\'es one generalh' 

 returns with a bouquet of gay flowers. For on the 

 Riviera these spring gifts of Flora are loo attractive to 

 be hurricdl}' passed b}'. The dark-blue musk-scented 

 (jrajie Hyacinths are to be seen everywhere under the 

 trees. jMuscari comosun!, a species bearing an ametlu'st- 

 coloured tuft above its otherwise inconspicuous inllores- 

 cence, is very prett)'. Orchids are common among the 

 grass, especially an Ophrys, one of those remarkable 



