INDIRECT INJURIES CAUSED BY INSECTS, 179 



our crops partially, confining themselves to one or two 

 kinds only; but there are some species which extend 

 their ravages indifferently to all. Of this description is 

 the Phalcena frumentalis, L., which moth, Pallas tells 

 us, is an almost universal pest in the government of 

 Kasan in Russia, often eating the greater part of the 

 spring corn to the root a . To this we are fortunately 

 strangers ; but another, well known by the name of the 

 wire-worm, causes annually a large diminution of the 

 produce of our fields, destroying indiscriminately wheat, 

 rye, oats, and grass b . This insect, which has its name 

 apparently from its slender form, and uncommon hard- 

 ness and toughness, is the grub of a beetle termed by 

 Linne Elater lineattis, but by Bierkander, to whom we 

 are indebted for its history, E. Segetis c , which name is 

 now generally adopted. The ingenious Mr. Paul of 

 Starston in Norfolk, (well known as the inventor of a 

 machine to entrap the turnip-beetle, which may be ap- 

 plied by collectors with great advantage to general pur- 

 poses,) has also succeeded in tracing this insect from the 

 larva to the imago state. His grubs produced Elater 

 obscurus of Mr. Marsham, which however comes so near 

 to E. Segetis that it is doubtful whether it be more than 

 a variety. The other species, however, of the genus have 

 similar grubs, many of which probably contribute to the 

 mischief When told that it lives in its first (or feeding) 

 state not less than five years, during the greatest part of 

 which time it is supported by devouring the roots of grain, 

 you will not wonder that its ravages should be so exten- 



a Pallas's Travels in South Russia, L 30. b Plate XVIII. Fig. 4. 

 c Marsham in Communications to the Board of Agriculture, iv. 412. 

 Plate xv'uljig. 4. and Linn. Trans, ix. 60 



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