INSECTS INJURIOUS TO THE TURNIP CROPS 7 
Shropshire, they have destroyed three or four consecutive sow- 
ings on several farms in this neighbourhood, during the summer 
of 1865. The enemy is the larva of a very beautiful moth, the 
Agrotis exclamationis , or “ the heart and dart moth/ - ’ the male 
and female of which are figured in the accompanying plate. 
The Latin specific name was given to this moth on account or 
the markings on the anterior wings, which bear some faint 
resemblance to the note of exclamation (!). The English name 
is somewhat more appropriate, so far as the form of the marks is 
concerned (the heart and dart being very distinct in the wings of 
the male figure in the drawing), (fig. 4) ; but both Latin and 
English names are highly appropriate, so far as relates to the 
dreadful damage these moths cause to the turnips. Is not this 
insect rightly called exclamationis ? for alas (!) for the hopes of 
the farmer where it abounds ; and people fond of symbolic repre- 
sentation may discern in the markings of the wings the farmer's 
heart about to be pierced by the dart of destruction. Nor is it 
turnips alone that these grubs devastate ; they are very fond 
of lettuces, as I know to my cost, for they destroy a great 
number of plants in my garden every year by biting the root, 
and separating it from the stem. 
These caterpillars are to be found abundantly in the ground 
as late as the middle of November; they change to pupae 
in the winter, and appear as moths about June. Another 
species, very similar to the last, namely the Agrotis segetum, 
is also a destructive enemy to the turnip crops. As to 
the means to be employed to get rid of this destructive 
caterpillar, I believe we must depend upon the rooks, 
starlings, peewits, and other birds. It is said that soot 
is particularly obnoxious to them, but for field crops it 
would be difficult to obtain it in sufficient quantity ; in 
gardens, doubtless, soot may be used to advantage. If a crop 
has been destroyed by these caterpillars in the month of 
August, the prospect of securing a second sowing is but 
small; for the grubs are still in the ground, and being larger 
are able to do more mischief. Perhaps deep-ploughing, so as 
to bury the enemy, might be of service ; but the best friends 
of the farmer are, undoubtedly, the rooks and starlings. Let 
the rook be as sacred to the agriculturist as the owl to 
Athene and the stag to Artemis ; let rookeries be everywhere 
protected, and the birds encouraged; let rook-shooting be 
deemed an offence of the gravest kind — those poor cawing 
young ones, over whose untimely fate the sorrowful parents, 
wheeling round high above the reach of gun-shot, are bewailing 
in such pitiable strains, are worthy of a more honourable 
treatment than to be stuffed in a pie ! How long will the 
farmers have to be told, that by killing the rooks they are 
