Injurious Insects, > 441 
pressed with the point of a needle alternating with slightly 
elevated ridges. This is the Phyllaphaga quercina, May beetle, 
or American cock-chafer. In its perfect state it feeds on the 
leaves of many of our most common trees and shrubs, particularly 
on those of the different species of cherry; it may easily be ob- 
tained during the hours of day merely by shaking the branches. 
In the larvae state they voraciously devour the tender roots of 
grass, so that in a short time the whole surface of the ground pre- 
sents the appearance of having been run over with fire. This 
was peculiarly the case a few years since, in the Capitol Park of 
this city, and great was the consternation which for some time 
prevailed in consequence of its desolating ravages. Lime turned 
in with the soil, we believe, was the remedy made use of for its 
perfect restoration; every spring, however, more or less of the 
perfect insect may daily be seen, crawling slowly along the gra- 
velled walks and in their vicinity. The most effectual method 
for destroying them that we have seen, is to shake the trees in the 
early morning, when, without attempting to fly, they quietly drop 
to the earth in great numbers; here they are to be gathered, 
thrown into boiling water, and fed either to fowls or swine. 
These insects live but a short period in the perfect state. The 
female descends about two feet in the earth, deposits her eggs, 
and again returns to the surface to perish. Crows become bene- 
factors to the human race by devouring vast quantities of these 
pernicious grubs. 
Bruchus Pisi. — Whoever takes up a handful of dry peas, will 
frequently find some of the number to be perforated by smooth, 
circular holes, leading far into their interior. This has been pro- 
duced by one of the devastating insects, the Bruchus pisi, or pea 
weevil. It is small in size and of an oval form, its color is of a 
rusty black, with a white spot on the back part of the thorax, and 
four or five more near the extremity of the wing-cases. It may 
likewise be distinguished by a white spot, resembling the letter T, 
on the abdomen. When the plants have flowered, and the peas 
are young and tender, the female of this insect pierces the green 
covering and inserts an egg within ; this in a short time hatches 
into a small white gtub, and without feet; it now commences its 
labors, by boring directly into the centre of the pea, where it con- 
tinues to live upon the rich marrow until it arrives at its full size, 
at the time, when the seed becomes dry and hard; and what is a 
little singular, they devour the entire centre and leave the germ 
of the future sprout uninjured; thus we often find sprouts shooting 
from perforated peas. As the spring advances it changes from 
the pupa to the perfect state, and endeavors to escape by per- 
forating its now fragile covering; this does not always take place 
until after the seeds are planted. The injury accomplished 
