1838.. HOUSE—Ne. 72. 65 
by attaching a long thread to one of the hind legs of the common 
Melolontha, and then leave it to fly, without suffering it to es- 
cape. Being thus restrained, its motions are confined to a circle, 
and these gyrations afford much pleasure to the little tormentors. 
De Geer further tells us, that the country children carry on a trade 
in these insects with the children of cities, and that he himself, when 
a boy, had purchased many of them. The same custom exists in 
the vicinity of Paris, and the children accompany the gyrations of 
the Melolontha, by the French called Hanneton, with a song or in- 
cantation, the burthen of which is ‘* Hanneton! volé, volé, volé”— 
‘¢ Hanneton ! fly away, fly away, fly away.”” ‘Those who have read 
the popular novel called ‘Torhill, may remember that these were the 
words frequently sung by the volatile French servant. Thus are we 
led to observe a curious coincidence in the puerile sports among re- 
mote nations, while tracing the antiquity of a name. 
The Melolonthe are known in England by the names of dorrs or 
chaffers, and in this country, by those of dorr-bugs and may- 
beetles. ‘They are characterized by having the body oblong, oval, 
and convex, the mouth covered above by a thin plate, beneath which, 
are situated the antenne, consisting of ten joints, the terminal ones 
united by the end to a common centre, and expanding like the leaves 
of a book ; the thorax more or less transversely quadrate or trapezo- 
idal ; the elytra convex above, not embracing the sides of the body, 
and leaving the posterior extremity exposed. ‘The middle part of 
the fore legs is armed with 2 or 3 lateral teeth ; and each foot, con- 
sisting of five small joints, is terminated by two strong claws or 
nails, furnished beneath with a small tooth or double point. The 
powerful and corneous jaws are admirably adapted for tearing and 
bruising the leaves of vegetables on which these insects live in 
their perfect state; their double or toothed claws support them se- 
curely upon the foliage ; and their strong and dentated legs, being 
constructed for digging in the ground, indicate the place of their 
metamorphoses. ' 
The general habits and transformations of the common cock-chaf- 
fer of Europe, will elucidate those of the whole genus, which are 
nearly the same. 
This insect devours the leaves of trees and shrubs. Its duration 
9 
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