Useful Insects. 
In order to acquire that plumpness which is deemed in the East 
a beauty, the women of Arabia and Turkey swallow every morn- 
ing, three specimens of a Tenebrio dug out of the fdth of the garden 
and fi ied in butter. Curtis says that the Tuikish women cook 
and eat a certain beetle {Blaps suloita,) in butter, to fatten them- 
selves. — [BrUisli Evtom.) By this time some readers will have 
shrugged their shoulders and turned up their noses with disgust at 
the grub-eating epicures, who, it must be observed, are by no 
means few in number nor peculiar to one locality. There exists 
no sound reason why grubs, when cleaned and nicely cooked, 
should not be as proper for the table as poultry, which are so fond 
of them. When an English traveller expressed his surprise and 
disgust at some Arabs eating insects, the men justly retorted that 
it was poor affectation in a person who could swallow a raw oys- 
ter. The first man that ever made the experiment of swallowing 
a raw oyster must have been a rare brave fellow; but while we 
thank him for introducing us to this delicicious mollusk, we may 
regret that he did not display his gastronomic courage upon cock- 
chafers and other small short-horns. 
Kirby remarks that "many insects emit very powerful odors, 
and some produce extraordinary effects upon the human frame; 
and it is an idea not altogether to be rejected, that they concen- 
trate into a smaller compass the properties and virtues of the 
plants upon which they feed, and thus afford medicine more pow- 
erful in operation than the plants themselves. It would be worth 
while to institute experiments to ascertain the truth of this view. 
Several species of beetles are used medicinally. In Europe, the 
Lijtta, or Cantharis vesicatoria, is an important article, better 
known by the incorrect appellation of Spanish-fly. It is exceed- 
ingly abundant in the southern parts of Europe, particularly in 
Spain. Numbers of.this useful and beautiful beetle are collected 
from the leavesof different trees which they haunt in June and July, 
and are then destroyed according to the recommedation of Diosco- 
rides, by the fumes of strong vinegar, and then dried in the sun. 
They are not only used externally as a vesicatory, but internally as 
a stimulant and diuretic. Dioscorides, Galen and Pliny, entertained 
the notion that tlie virus existed only in the body of the beetle, 
and that the head, feet and wings contained its antidote. Mr. 
G. Munby says that Cantharis itesicatoria is extremely abundant 
in certain parts of Dijon, in France. " I s'iw," says he, " an ash 
tree hanging over the road so crowded with them, that their ex- 
crements literally blackened the ground; and on passing under- 
neath the tree, I felt my face as if bit by gnats. They have a 
disagreeable, sickening smell, which may be perceived twenty or 
thirty yards off, according to the direction of the wind. They are 
sold at about six shillings per pound, when dried. — {-^if^g- J^ot. 
