150 



THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



T. Gothica, numerous 



T. Instabilis, 6 



T. Stabilis, numerous 



T. Gracilis, 2 



T. Munda, i 



T. Cruda, a few 



S. Sattellitia, 2 



C. Trapezina, 8 



D. Capsincola, i 

 P. Chi, 5 



P. Meticulosa, i 



{To be continued). 



ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY. 



By S. L. Mosley. 

 The term Economic Entomology, I scarcely 

 need explain, is inteoded to refer to the study 

 of those insects which, *' for better or for 

 worse," in one way or another, afltct the well 

 being of man. Lately it has been somewhat 

 restricted to those insects which affect our 

 vegetable crops, but in its widest sense, and 

 the sense in which it will be used in these 

 papers, it refers to all insects which are, 

 directly or indirectlly, injurious or beneficial 

 to the human race. In discriminating between 

 our true friends, foes, and neutrals, it is 

 Bometi nes a matter of no easy task, for while 

 a particular insect m&y be a benefit when it 

 exists in limited numbers, when it becomes 

 too numerous it becomes a positive injury. 

 To kill, therefore, every insect we see of some 

 particular kinds, would be an act of folly, 

 while on the other hand there are species 

 which seem to be of no benefit whatever. 

 Naturci, if left to herself, will never err, and 

 if any insect appears in superabundance in 

 any pexticular season there is some reason 

 for such appearance, and nature hereself will 

 also provide the antedote. But, as Edward 

 Kewmjin says, if a farmer tries to make a 

 certain piece of ground produce more turnips 

 than nature ever intended it should, the 

 farmer must not be surprised if naiure makes 

 an effurt to produce a number of caterpillars 



equal to the supply of their (turnip) food^ 

 The food being in plenty, and the enemies of 

 the grubs, such as rooks, partridges, &c., 

 being shot off, often enough by the farmer 

 himself, they (the grubs) are enabled to revel 

 in peace, and to totally demolish not only the 

 superabundant crop, but the entire crop. It, 

 therefore, is clear, as must appear to every 

 thinking mind, that a knowledge of the insect 

 world is of paramount importance to the 

 grower of plants ; and as we cannot tell of 

 any child what avocation it shall pursue in 

 after life, it is also of importance that such 

 instruction should be taught, without which 

 no education can be considered complete 

 But as the state system at present lacks such 

 instruction, the deficiency is being tried to 

 be met in some degree by getting up collec- 

 tions in our public museums showing the 

 various kinds of insects which come under 

 this head, and the following notes are intended 

 as a guide to the formation of such a collection. 



As no scientific arrangement can be adopted 

 in such a collection, the alphabetical will, in 

 part, be used, as being the simplest for 

 reference, and by this all the insects injurious 

 in a certain way can be brought under one 

 head, confining ourselves to such only as 

 affect the British subject. 



1. Man's Personal Enemies, 



or such as attack his person and do him in- 

 jury or annoyance. 



Ants. — A small species of ant is some- 

 times a great nuisance in houses, swarm- 

 ing to such an extent as to get into every- 

 thing, causing great annoyance when found 

 mixed up with the eatables. Some of the 

 metropolitan districts have been particularly 

 infested. 



Eemedies. — Perhaps a hedgehog would be 

 of service in clearing off the vermin, or a 

 toad, but popular prejudice would, no doubt, 

 object to the latter harmless benefactor. 

 The insect powders " sold by chemists and 

 which are a vegetable preparation would 



