554 , Insects. 
THE COCKCHAFER. (Melolonthx vulgaris.) 
The Cockchafer is one of the lamellicorn beetles. The 
female lays her eggs in the ground, and the grubs, when 
hatched, are soft, thick, and whitish. It is from its 
white appearance that the grub of the Cockchafer is 
called le ver blanc by the French. These grubs, some- 
times in immense numbers, work between the turf and 
the soil in the richest meadows, devouring the roots of 
the grass to such a degree that the turf rises, and will 
roll up with almost as much ease as if it had been cut 
with a turfing knife ; the soil underneath appearing, for 
more than an inch in depth, like the bed of a garden. 
In this the grubs lie, on their backs, in a curved position, 
the head and tail uppermost, and the rest of the body 
buried in the mould. It is also said that a whole field 
of fine flourishing grass has become, in a few weeks, 
withered, dry, and as brittle as hay, in consequence of 
these grubs devouring the roots. 
In the year 1G88 great numbers of Cockchafers ap- 
peared on the hedges and trees of the south-west coast 
of the county of Gal way, in clusters of thousands, cling- 
ing to each others' backs, in the manner of bees when 
they swarm. During the day they continued quiet, but 
towards sunset the whole were in motion ; and the 
humming noise of their wings sounded like distant 
drums. Their numbers were so great that, for the space 
of two or three square miles, they entirely darkened the 
air. Persons travelling on the roads, or who were abroad 
in the fields, found it difficult to make their way home, 
as the insects were continually beating against their 
faces, and occasioned great pain. In a very short time 
