1873.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
3T7 
& mm® 9 ©dDMMMSo 
Sea-Sliells—Cowries. 
The more beautiful sea-shells are everywhere prized as 
ornaments, and it is no rare thing to find in far inland 
homes a collection of various kinds. These are often 
kept as precious mementos of friends who “ went to 
sea” and never returned. We never see a collection of 
these shells upon a mantel-shelf far, far from the sea¬ 
shore but we think of the story they might tell could 
they do anything but “buzz” when held to the ear. 
The cowries are among the most common of these shells, 
and they are also among the most beautiful. Their form 
is pleasing, the polish of the surface is perfect, and the 
coloring, not only in the spots that mark the surface of 
the different kinds but at the under side of the shell, is 
of the most charming kind. How many who have these 
shells and prize them among their household treasures, 
ever think that each one has been the house of an animal 
as much as the oyster-shell is the house of the oyster? 
Yet not only is this true, but had there been no animal 
there had been no shell. The beautiful shell, with its 
enameled surface, its play of colors, its pleasing shape, 
is the product of an animal that some might consider re¬ 
pulsive in appearance. By a process as slow and as little 
observed as the growth of our own bones has the slimy 
mollusli been building up the beautiful shell. The animal 
has done it for its own protection—for a place of retreat 
into which it could draw its soft body and be safe from 
the attacks of all enemies. We have given an engraving 
of the cowry—both shell and animal—so that when you 
admire the beautiful sea-shells, and put them to your ear 
to hear the sea roar (a tin one would do as well for this), 
you may think that you are indebted for your pleasure to 
a very humble, slimy animal that lives and enjoys itself 
in the tropical seas, and one that is as much a part in the 
great Bystem of Nature aB those who make more noise in 
the world. 
----•-»- 
Something; about Insects. 
It is always pleasant for us to know that our boys and 
girls go about with their eyes open, and it is also plea¬ 
sant to have them, when they come across objects that 
they do not know about or can not find out about, come 
to ns for help. Insects, especially the larger and more 
showy ones, are sure to attract attention, and we give 
here engravings of two that have been sent us, they be¬ 
ing found in almost all parts of the country and having 
a rather interesting history. Do you know all about the 
changes of insect life? The main story is told in a few 
words, but it is subject to many variations. So let all of 
you recollect this short account of insect life. In the 
first place there is 
the egg. In a few 
days, it may be 
weeks or even 
months, the egg is 
hatched, and out 
comes what is po¬ 
pularly called a 
“worm,” but it is 
better to call it a 
grub or caterpillar. 
This “ worm ” is 
properly called a 
larva , and its chief 
business In life is to 
eat and grow. Some 
live on leaves, others 
find- both home and 
Fig. 1.— stag-beetle. food by boring into 
the stems of plants, 
they live in the ground and feed upon roots, or they pass 
their days in woolen goods, leather, or other animal mat¬ 
ter. This larva keeps on feeding and growing, throwing 
off its ©Id skin when it gets too large, and wearing a new 
one that it has already prepared, until it attains its full 
size. This generally takes but a few weeks, but sometimes 
years are required for the larva to make its full growth. 
Sooner or later it stops eating, and generally becomes 
quiet. Sometimes it wraps itselt in a silken covering, 
sometimes in a coffin of earth, and then in other cases 
the outer skin hardens and forms its sleeping case. 
Whatever form it may take on it is called a pupa or 
chrysalis. After a period ot quiet that is often death¬ 
like the pupa awakens, the coverings arc burst, and the 
perfect insect or 
imago comes out. It 
may be a beetle, a 
butterfly, a moth, a 
“miller,” a two¬ 
winged fly, or other 
insect. With wonder¬ 
ful modifications this 
is the general course 
of insect life. First 
the egg, then the 
larva, next the pupa, 
and finally the per¬ 
fect insect. So when 
you see a butterfly or 
a beetle you see the 
result of many 
changes, and can 
know from its ap¬ 
pearance but little 
of what it has done in its earlier life. When the 
•June-bug or May-beetle, as it is variously called, comes 
buzzing into the room and bobs its stupid head against 
the ceiling, you have nothing to tell you that this is the 
perfect state of the same pest that has been destroying the 
strawberry roots and cutting off the roots in the grass- 
plot. To come to the insects that have been sent us. 
Figure 1 is the Stag-beetle, also frequently called the 
Horn-bug, although it is not in the proper sense of the 
word a “ bug” at all. It is over an inch long, and from 
its size as well as its large jaws, which are capable of 
giving a pretty hard pinch, it is quite sure to be noticed. 
Perhaps you do not care about the scientific name for it, 
but it will do no hurt to know that entomologists, those 
who make a study of insects, call it Lucanus Dama. In its 
larva state it lives in the roots of old apple-trees and 
similar places. Figure 2 
is a larger and more no¬ 
ticeable beetle. You will 
at once when you catch 
one, as you may happen 
to on trees or on the sides 
of buildings in the sum¬ 
mer months, say “Oh! 
what eyes!” The beetle 
is of a grayish black color, 
with two very large vel¬ 
vety-black spots which 
are mistaken for eyes, but 
they are only ornaments. 
Eyes are in the head, and 
if you look you will find 
them, while these spots 
are on the chest aud are 
not eyes at all. If you 
should catch one of these 
fellows, and they are harmless, lay it on its back and see 
what happens. A click and a bounce, up goes the insect 
several inches into the air and alights on its feet. We 
can not now describe the peculiar “spring-back” by 
which it doe3 this, but the trick is characteristic of a 
number of our beetles, mostly smaller than this one; 
hence they are called click-beetles or spring-beetles. 
The grubs (lance, plural of larva ) of some of them are 
our most destructive enemies, and known by the popular 
names of “cut-worms” aud “ wire-worms’’—names 
that, by the way, are also applied to the larvae of other 
and widely different insects. The larvaeof the one figured 
are not very troublesome, and they are not very numer¬ 
ous. They live for the most part in half decayed trees, 
especially in old apple-trees. The entomologist’s name 
for this beetle is Alaus oculatus. We must apologize to 
the young friends who sent these insects for the long de¬ 
lay in replying, for we have had the engravings ready for 
nearly a year, but could not make room for them before. 
To those who wish to preserve beetles, we may say that 
the best way is to put them into alcohol, whiskey or any 
other strong alcoholic liquid. We may say something at 
another time about “setting them up,” as it is called, 
for final preservation ; but they will keep for any length 
of time in alcoholic liquids. Butterflies can not be pre¬ 
served in this way, as the beautiful markings upon their 
wings would be destroyed. The best way to kill these is 
to put a few drops of chloroform upon them and set them 
to dry in a natural position by means of pins. They 
must be kept in boxes secure from dust, mites, and moths. 
A COWRY SHELL AND ANIMAL. 
Fig. 2.— SPRING-BEETLE. 
Auut Sue’s S’uzzlc-SSo.v. 
ANAGRAMS. 
1. A new gold deck. 
3. Strange dress. 
3. Deacon N., sir. 
4. So inspired. 
5. Deprive him so. 
6. Pride’s hope. 
7. Balance rest. 
8. Neither can I. 
9. Oh ! mean pen. 
10. Mac’s nice crust. 
CROSS-WORD. 
My first is in finger but not in thumb. 
My next is in cherry but not in plum. 
My third is in old but not in new. 
My fourth is in church but not In pew. 
My fifth is tn gun but not in sword. 
My sixth is in whisper but not in word. 
My seventh is in wall but not in fence. 
My eighth is in dollar but net in pense. 
My ninth is in mask but not in face. 
My tenth is in charm but not in grace. 
My eleventh is in silver but not in gold. 
My twelfth is in new but not in old. 
My thirteenth is in grate but not in coal. 
My fourteenth is in heart but not in soul. 
My fifteenth is in song but not in ditty. 
My sixteenth is in pain but not in pity. 
My whole, we read, in early youth 
Was bold enough to tell the truth. G. VY. S. 
ALPHABETICAL ARITHMETIC. 
0U0)SMI1ELI(IILB 
HID 
BOLE 
B B O U 
B B M L 
B B O U 
L D I 
OCO 
BUB 
pi. 
Od dogo ot rouy mynee hatt eh yam bemoce oury infred. 
NUMERICAL ENIGMA. 
I am composed of forly-two letters. 
My 26, 2, 4, 33, 14, 39, 9, 29 is a bird. 
My 41, 11, 15, 19, 6, 88 is powerful. 
My 35, 17, 32, 24, 1 is to delineate. 
My 31, 13, 8, 3, 22, 37, 20,12, 40 is a quadruped, also an 
aquatic bird. 
My 30, 7, 16, 34, 23 is a tame fowl. 
My 27, 36, 28, 10, 21 is an impression. 
My 25, 5, 18, 42 fragments. 
My whole was a literary sensation of 1871. Beau IS, 
RIDDLE. 
I wait on the King, or the Queen if you please ; 
1 am under your eye, you can turn me with ease. 
Jes. 
ANSWERS TO PUZZLES IN THE JULY NUMBER. 
Numerical Enigma. —Geography. 
Cross-Word.— San Francisco. 
Blanks.— 1. Knew, gnu, new. 2. Rode, road, rowed. 
3. See, sea. 4. Cent, sent, scent. 5. Rain, reign, rein. 
Puzzle.—S pear: from which may be made ape, peas, 
pears, ear, asp, rap. 
Positives and Comparatives. —1. Ham, hammer. 
2. Stream, streamer. 3. Sow, sour. 4. Hop, hopper. 
5. Sum, summer. 6. Buff, buffer. 
Good Advice.—B egin at the last letter, and read up 
and down from right to left: 
nopo on, hope ever, oh ! never despair; 
Be busy, be cheerful, and drive away care. 
Pi. — An Irishman meeting another asked him what 
had become of a mutual friend. “Arrah, now, my dear 
honey,” answered he, “ Paddy was condemned to be 
hanged, but saved his life by dying in prison.” 
Alphabetical Arithmetic.— 
207)954163(4609 (Key: Coldstream.) 
-- 
AUNT SUE’S NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
I have received several letters concerning the geo¬ 
graphical prize trial, requesting answers in August; but 
the questions came too late. The Puzzle-Box for Septem¬ 
ber has to be completed on the 20th of July. Those 
letters enclosing postage-stamps were, however, promptly 
answered by mail. There may stHI be time lor you to 
revise your lists before the 20th of September. 
Two or more rivers and lakes having the same name iviU 
only count as one. 
If there he only one lettei' of a kind in the mountain , two 
of that same kind can not be used in lake or liver. 
G. F. S.—Pray don’t “ try for the prize ” if it be at all 
fatiguing (I shall have one list less to examine); the oc¬ 
cupation is intended for your amusement, not ours. 
