116 



THE GARDENER'S ASSISTANT. 



infield and garden. It is 11 to 13 lines long, 

 and black, with a violet gloss on the edges of 

 the shoulders, and rather coarsely granulated 

 wing-cases. It is easily recognized, and should 

 not on any account be 

 destroyed. There are 

 nineteen to twenty-two 

 species of Coccinella, pop- 

 ularly known as Lady- 

 birds, natives of Britain, 

 and two of them are 

 extremely common in 

 gardens. The larvae feed 

 extensively on aphides, 

 and are real friends. 

 The Two-spotted Lady- 

 bird (C. bipu aetata) is 

 black with scarlet wing- 

 cases, bearing a black spot on each; and there 

 is a creamy patch on each shoulder. It varies 

 greatly, and the wing-cases may be half-red and 



Fig. 151.— Violet Ground Beetle 

 (Carabus violaceus). 



$" ^rT^f 



Fjl'. 152.— Lady-birds. 

 1. Eggs, natural size, on a leaf 2. Egg magnified. 3. Larva, with the line 

 4 showing natural size. 5aad6. Pupse. 7 Coccinella bipunctata, 8. C. 

 ditpar, 9. C septi mptmctata. 



half-black, or entirely black. ft septempunctata 

 ip larger, with seven black spots on the wing- 

 cases. The larvae are slaty 

 and yellow, with black spots 

 and hairy tubercles down 

 the back, mixed with orange 

 spots. They are very ugly, 

 and like miniature alliga- 

 tors, but should never be 

 disturbed. Pterostichus mo- 

 dulus and its allies, to the 

 number of twenty-two spe- 

 cies, are very voracious, and 

 feed on a large number of 

 insects, including wire- 

 worms. Some authors di- 

 vide the group into a num- 

 ber of genera. That undei 

 notice is 7 to 8 lines long, and wingless, with 

 black or red legs. P. cupreus is another common 

 member of the same family or group, popularly 

 known as Sun Beetles, from the great activity 



Fig. 153.— Tiger Beetle 

 [Cicindela sylvaticai. 



with which they run to and fro in the sun in 

 quest of food. The last-named is 4^ to 6 lines 

 long, and green, bronzy, brassy, or bluish-black 

 on the upper side, being extremely variable, and 

 black beneath. There are four species of Tiger 

 Beetles (Cicindela) in Britain, and the common 

 Tiger (C. campestris) inhabits bare banks and 

 sandy commons; it is J inch long, and green, 

 with six white spots on each wing-case, including 

 the round one upon the disc. The larva is a 

 curious creature, with a large head and a great 

 hump on its back near the tail, bearing two 

 spines, with which it anchors itself in its burrow, 

 waiting at the entrance for its prey. The 

 perfect beetle hunts for its food, and mounts 

 I upon the wing with the rapidity of a bluebottle 

 fly. Its congener (ft sylvatica) is larger, black 

 above and violet beneath. The wing-cases have 

 I each several creamy-white markings, including 

 | a twice-curved one across the middle. Pre- 

 [ daceous beetles may generally be recognized by 

 their great activity on the legs or wing, as com- 

 pared with herbivorous or plant-eating species. 



Birds. — A large number of British birds 

 are of indirect utility to man by feeding upon 

 those creatures which prove destructive to culti- 

 vated plants of various kinds. These, as far 

 as gardens, parks, and pleasure-grounds are con- 

 cerned, would consist of such raptorial birds as 

 feed upon mice, voles, and others classed as 

 vermin, and insectivorous birds. Many of the 

 latter, such as the crow family, gallinaceous, 

 and some of the swimming birds, are really 

 omnivorous or general feeders, and whether 

 they are classed as the friends or enemies of 

 cultivation will depend upon the amount of 

 benefit they confer, as compared with the amount 

 of harm they do under varying circumstances. 

 Because some of them pilfer at certain seasons 

 is no reason for wholly condemning them; on 

 the contrary, it would be bad economy to exter- 

 minate them. A robin in a vinery where ripe 

 fruit is hanging would generally prove a nuisance 

 and an enemy; but means should simply be 

 adopted for excluding it at that period. Those 

 species whose destructive habits are so notorious 

 as to call for a mitigation of the injury they 

 effect are mentioned under Fruit and Seed 

 Enemies, as well as the means for protecting 

 | fruit and seed crops at their particular season. 



Buntings. — There are several British species 

 of this genus, and though they generally feed 

 on grains, they are partly insectivorous during 

 the summer. The Yellow Bunting or Yellow 

 Hammer (Emberiza citrijiella) is the most com- 

 mon species. 



