52 
MANGOLD. 
specimens of the injured roots, “ good types of how they were eaten 
off.” Two of these are figured, and at will be observed that the 
workings are very peculiar; in both cases the damage had obviously 
been done by some pest with powerful jaws, and in one root especially 
the jagged edges of the scoops showed very plainly where the sub¬ 
stances had been torn away in a manner differing from any other 
method of attack that I am acquainted with. A large sketch was also 
forwarded, showing the method of attack to roots grown to as much 
as about five to six inches in length, and an inch and a quarter to an 
inch and a half in diameter at the top. The injury was just at the 
ground-level, sometimes all round what may be termed the shoulders 
of the root, sometimes only on one side or in patches, and these 
patches were represented in the drawings sent as gnawed in a very 
similar manner to the method of injury given at p. 51. The injured 
patches were figured as extending a very little below the ground-line, 
but were chiefly above it. The beetles did not eat the leaves, and the 
damage was noticed as being done in the very early morning, or, in 
fact, done almost in the night; in one instance three beetles were 
found at one root. The Mangold died of the injury as the sun came 
on it. 
With regard to amount of injury caused by the beetles, Mr. Mann 
mentioned :—“ As near as I can form an opinion they have had about 
one plant in every ten. A neighbour of mine has had the same loss, 
but he has not caught any. The fact is, it is night-work. In one part 
of the field the beetles took one in every five.” 
The figure on p. 51 precisely conveys the shape of the beetles sent. 
The line gives the true length. The general colour is shining black, 
with the legs often of a red tint. The jaws are large and curved, legs 
strong, and wings absent, which last is an important point to observe, 
as the fact of the beetle being wingless limits the area of its attacks 
greatly. 
Previous observations have shown the beetle to be a night-feeder 
(already mentioned), and in captivity it is carnivorous to a certain 
extent, for one of those sent me alive killed its companion and cleared 
out the contents. This, however, no way militates against the beetle 
feeding on vegetable food when free, as regular vegetable feeders, such 
as the caterpillars of the Common Turnip Moth, will, as I have 
myself seen many times in the last season, kill each other, and suck 
up all that is available, leaving only the horny head and other hard 
pieces. 
The transformations—that is to say, the early stages which this 
beetle passes through—do not appear to be known; but, from 
observations made by Prof. Westwood in 1854, it appears to be almost 
certain that the larva is a narrow fleshy grub, about three-quarters of 
