82 
ILLUSTRATIONS OF 
years. In fact^ before this period, I have rarely- 
observed more than perhaps a dozen in my garden in 
the course of a season. But it is now so much 
increased as to become a serious annoyance to the 
gardener and florist. The last three seasons, my 
lilacs, strawberry blossoms, and roses, particularly the 
Scotch and Chinese varieties, have greatly suffered 
from their depredations, and, unfortunately, they do 
not retire into the ground in the month of June as is 
the case with the common chaffer beetle ; they con- 
tinue till August, devouring strawberries, raspberries, 
and cherries, though their favourite food, in the early 
part of the season, seems to be the stamina, anthers, 
and corolla of flowers, which are no sooner expanded 
than they are despoiled of their beauty. Thinking 
the warm dry summer and winter of the years 1826 
and 1827 might have caused their sudden increase, I 
was in hopes the wet summer last year would have 
reduced their numbers. But this, I now fear, will 
not be the case, for last week I observed the first 
flowers of a seedling purple lilac were covered with 
them, and in the course of an hour they had devoured 
every blossom. As a matter of curiosity, I had them 
collected, and the specimens sent were all taken from 
this shrub." This is sufficient to show that the 
study of the insect tribes is not unconnected with the 
pursuits and objects of life. 
The preceding sketch of the zoology of Worcester- 
shire, while it indicates the progress that has been 
already made in this branch of science, will show 
what remains to be done. It is not to be supposed 
