
COLEOPTERA. 447 
Cockchafer, Hanneton, according to M. Mulsant, comes from the 
Latin, A/itonus (which has sonorous wings), which first became 
Halleton. Jinneus gave them first the name of Melolontha, 
which it probably had among the Greeks, and which seems to be 
'the case from this passage in Aristophanes, in his comedy of 
The Clouds.” ‘Let your spirit soar,” says the Greek author, 
let it fly whither it lists, like the Melolontha tied with a 
———_—— 

Fig. 431,—Incea clathrata. 
| thread by the leg.” We see that the habit of martyrizing cock- 
| chafers is of very early date. The Common Cockchafer (Hig. 432) 
is one of the greatest pests to agriculture. In its perfect state it 
| devours the leaves of many trees, principally those of the elm. 
| And so children call the fruit of the elm-tree by the name of 
|“ Pains d’Hanneton.” But the destruction which they occasion 
in their perfect state is little when compared with that which is 
| caused by their larve—those white grubs so dreaded by agri- 
culturists. 
_ Cockchafers make their appearance from the month of April, 
if the season is warm. But it is in the month of May that they 





















