116 ZOOLOGY. 



are chiefly attacked, and in all cases only young 

 plants are devoured. Since both seed-leaves and 

 terminal buds are eaten, much damage is done, espe- 

 cially during continuously dry weather. It must 

 often happen that the beetles wander away, to find 

 other species of plants for the purpose of egg-laying ; 

 so that it is exceptional to find the larvae upon species 

 of cabbage. These larvae are much less injurious than 

 the beetles, since they usually only prey upon mature 

 plants. In their youngest condition they are found 

 in groups, feeding upon the leaves ; this results from 

 the eggs being laid in little heaps. Later on, they 

 wander away from one another. In favourable 

 weather they are fully grown in six weeks, and 

 several generations may succeed one another in the 

 same year. Remedies : Destruction of the weeds 

 which attract the beetles (charlock, shepherd's purse, 

 yellow rocket, treacle mustard, etc.) Good prepara- 

 tion of the soil, suitable manuring and driU culture, 

 since these bring about a more rapid growth of the 

 plants. Thick sowing (but not too thick), so that, 

 even after the destruction of many seedlings, a suf- 

 ficient number may remain. Moistening the fields by 

 means of water-carts or sprayers. In garden-beds 

 twigs are laid down, by which the seeds are protected 

 against birds and the seedlings against flea beetles. 

 " Mea-beetle machines," consisting of a board smeared 

 with tar, which is drawn across the field, so that the 

 frightened beetles spring up, and remain hanging in 

 the sticky substance. After rain, or when dew is still 

 clinging to the plants, they should be strewed with 

 powdered fowls' dung, pigeons' dung, or horse dung, 

 wood-ashes, road-dust, powdered lime, coal-ashes; or 

 the plan of sprinkling with a decoction of worm- 

 wood may be adopted. 



The Turnip Flea Beetle, or Turnip Fly (Haltica 

 nemorum), one-tenth to one-eighth of an inch long, 

 egg-shaped, black, with longitudinal streaks of a 



