27 
NATURAL REMEDIES. 
The ordinary natural checks upon the undue multiplication of in¬ 
lets are birds, other insects, and the vicissitudes of the weather, 
gainst birds this species is of course completely protected in all its 
:ages, except that of perfect beetle; and although fragments of the 
it ter would be very easily recognized in the food of a bird, I have 
ever seen a trace of a single specimen in the thousand or more 
Somachs whose contents I have examined. Indeed, at the season 
f the year when these beetles breed, birds are not merely extremely 
3arce in corn-fields, but almost entirely absent, most of the insec- 
verous species being at this time attracted to other haunts by the 
pening of the autumn fruits. It is, therefore, altogether unlikely 
lat birds have any effect whatever to restrain the increase of the 
Mm root-worm. 
Unfortunately, we have as little evidence of any insect enemies of 
iis pest. It is true that Prof. Riley remarks, in the article in the 
merican Entomologist, already cited, that he has invariably found 
in conjunction with a real wire-worm, which from its having been 
>und preying upon locust eggs, he supposes to frequent the corn- 
>ots for the food afforded by the Diabrotica larvae. In all the 
Elections of these larvae, made from the Laboratory, however, only 
single wire-worm was found, although everything occurring in the 
round with the root-worm was preserved for examination. This 
ire-worm, upon dissection, was proved to contain only vegetable 
>od, and but a mere trace of that. A number of other dissections 
ere made of insects occurring in the same situation, for the pur- 
3se of determining whether any of them might possibly be feeding 
pon either the larvae or the eggs. 
Ten specimens of an abundant small beetle, Agonoderus comma, 
ambers of which were found, August 8, under the clods and in the 
mund about the roots of corn in a field which was suffering from 
| serious attack of the corn root-worm, proved to have taken both 
limal and vegetable food, but no traces of these larvae were appa- 
:nt. In fact, from the contents of their stomachs it was evidently 
apossible that they should have eaten any of the corn root-worms, 
nother specimen of this species, taken in a similar situation, but 
j a later date (August 20), gave similar results. Two minute pre- 
iceous beetles ( Tacliys incurvus and Blechrus lineatus) found on the 
,h of November among the roots of corn where eggs of Diabrotica 
bounded, were likewise innocent of any attack on the pest. The 
omach of the first contained a few minute fragments of an insect 
*ust, and that of the second was empty. All the other carabid 
jetles captured at this time and place were found without food, 
iving doubtless gone into winter quarters. 
Thousand-legs (Myriapoda) were especially abundant here, more 
• in fact than any insect, but these, upon dissection, proved to 
ive fed only upon fungi and decaying vegetation. It is possible 
hat some of the eggs, and perhaps the larvae also, may be destroyed 
j insects in spring when their appetites are more active, but of 
iis we have as yet no proof whatever. 
There is equally little indication of any seriously injurious effect 
:erted by rain or drouth. While it is true that the worm is said 
