652 
OM THE STUDY OF ENTOMOLOGY. 
structive pests of our cabinets, for if once they get among the speci¬ 
mens, the havoc they make is truly astonishing; the birds are soon 
stripped of their feathers, and the insects fall to pieces; these larvae 
are covered with bunches of diverging hairs, which enables them 
when caught to glide through your fingers, as though they were lu¬ 
bricated with oil; scarcely any thing in the cabinet escapes them. 
De Geer even says they will feed upon horn. 
Family XXIII.— Histerid^e. —5 Genera’ 
1. Abraeus, 3. Hister, 5. Platisoma, 
2. Onthophilus, 4. Dendrophilus, 
Subsection IT.— Lamellicornes. —With laminate Antennae. 
Family XXIV.—Lucanidae.—4. Genera. 
1. Platycerus, 2. Dorcus, 3. Lucanus, 
4. Sinodendron, 
Family XXV.— ScarabgeiDjE.—3. Genera. 
1. Copris, 2. Onthophagus, 3. Oniticellus, 
Family XXVI.— Geotku'pidjE —Genera. 
1. Bolbocerus, 2. Typhaeus, 3. Geotrupes. 
Family XXVII.— Aphodiidte. —2. Genera. 
1. Aphodius, 2. Psammodius. 
Family XXVIII.— Trogid#: —3 Genera. 
1. iEgialia, 2. Trachyscelis Trox. 
Family XXIX.— Dynastid^e —2. Genera. 
1. Oryctes, 2. Dynastes, 
Family XXX.— Melolonthid^e....7 Genera. 
1. Serica 4. Melolontha, 7. Hoplia 
2. Omaloplia, 5. Anomala, 
3. Zantheumia, 6. Anisoplia, 
One of the most destructive ravagers in our pastures is the larvae 
of the may-bug, or cock-chaffer, (Melolontha vulgaris) well known 
in the southern and midland districts of England, as well as Ireland, 
where it is called the Connought worm ; the perfect beetle lives but 
about eight or ten days. The female deposits her eggs in a cluster 
about a span below the surface of the earth, in a hole, which she digs 
for the purpose. The larvae continues to undergo various transfor¬ 
mations for three years, and makes its appearance about the begin¬ 
ning of May, in the fourth year, as a perfect beetle. To obtain a 
more perfect understanding of their economy, Rosel put some females 
