Destructive Insects and Utility of Birds. 
237 
for tlie destruction of caterpillars and chafers, in the attempt to 
save the trees from utter ruin. During the year 1837, an area of 
860 acres of fir-forest was entirely stripped of its leaves by the 
caterpillars of the Noctua;, and Government paid more than 1000 
thalers for the destruction of 1)4,000,000 of the above dangerous 
insects. The havoc these insects cause is almost incredible. 
Some time ago caterpillars devoured all the grass over immense 
districts in America, and it was found necessary to import hay 
from England. The Herbivora caterpillars laid bare the plains 
of Lesch, near Augsburg, gnawing the roots of every plant, and 
<lestroying the herbage growing for miles around several villages. 
The caterpillars of the Noctua plenipeda will in a few weeks' time 
destroy 300 acres of woodland ; and in the Marches of Branden- 
burg, in two years, they devastated a seventh part of all the Govern- 
ment forests. In Franconia, the caterpillars of the Bomhyx and 
Lasiocampa, during the year 1839, completely devoured the pro- 
duce of 2200 acres of Government forest, in spite of the strenuous 
efforts made to combat the evil. A success was obtained in the 
woods of Stralsund, where in 1840 Government, at an expense of 
about 3200 thalers, collected 1000 pounds' weight, that is, more 
than 633,000,000 of the eggs of the Bomhyx. The vegetable- 
consuming caterpillar occasionally appears in such numbers, that 
a tubful of them may soon be collected. They arrive in a field, 
quickly destroy the chief part of the crop, and then journey on, 
it being impossible to arrest their progress. It has been noticed 
in the Duchy of Hesse, that these insects principally laid waste 
those spots Tvhere, from the want of trees, the aggregation of 
singing-birds is prevented ; and here all human efforts at preven- 
tion have been found totally unavailing. 
For about half a century the culture of fruit-trees has been 
steadily increasing in Wurtemburg, so that now it brings in a 
revenue of 1,700,000 florins (141,750/.) annually, though a great 
part of the crop is yearly devoured by caterpillars. Formerly but 
little notice was taken of these invaders, but latterly they have so 
much increased that many cultivators have been discouraged from 
continuing their occupation. Government has ordered all the trees 
to be cleansed, both in spring and autumn, imposing penalties 
for disobedience, but the desired result has not yet been obtained. 
If Nature did not interpose, man would of necessity succumb ; 
but these insects are pursued by other enemies who become the 
allies of man. The Ichneumon pricks the caterpillar to death, 
the Limex sucks out its vital organs, beetles eat them, princi- 
pally the pernicious Processionea caterpillar ; and the shrew- 
mouse, the hedgehog, the mole, the lizard, the frog, the toad, and 
the bat are all excellent insect-hunters. Nature, however, has 
shown most solicitude for us by appointing, as the food most 
