36 



THE OAK. 



commits the most destructive ravages on the roots 

 not only of grass, but of all other plants and 

 young trees. When full grown, the larva digs in 

 the earth to the almost incredible depth of five or 

 six feet, spins a smooth case, and then changes 

 into a chrysalis. In this state it remains till the 

 following spring, when the perfect insect comes 

 from the ground, and commences an immediate 



attack on the leaves of trees. A remarkable ac- 

 count of the ravages of these insects is given by 

 Molyneux, in one of the early volumes of the 

 Philosophical Transactions, in which their ap- 

 pearance in the county of Galway in Ireland, in 

 1688, is narrated. They were seen in the day- 

 time perfectly quiet, and hanging from the boughs 

 in clusters of thousands, clinging to each other 

 like bees w^hen they swarm ; but dispersing to- 

 wards sunset, with a strange humming noise, like 

 the beating of distant di^ums ; and in such vast 

 numbers, that they darkened the air for the space 

 of tw^o or three miles square ; and the noise they 

 made in devouring the leaves was so great, as to 

 resemble the distant sawing of timber. In a very 



\ 



COCKCHAFER. 



