THE BEETLES, OR SHEATH-WINGED INSECTS. 107 



is white; but the six legs are horny. It is so fat and un- 

 wieldy that it lies curled up on its side, a picture of help- 

 less obesity. It is very destructive to the roots of grass 

 and vegetables, but towards the first of May it stops feeding 

 and makes a rude chamber or cell in the earth. Here it 

 turns into a chrysalis or pupa (Fig. 115, i), and now it 

 looks like a pale, sleeping or mummy-like beetle, with small 

 wings and legs folded against the body. I3y the end of May 

 the beetle casts aside the pupa skin, makes its way up out 



FIG. 115. Metamorphosis of the May-beetle. 



of the earth, and flies about during the early part of sum- 

 mer. 



In describing a single beetle, we have noted the distin- 

 guishing marks of almost the whole order; although there 

 are known to be over 80,000 species now living in different 

 parts of the world. The great army of beetles is not a very 

 motley body, but rather like a well-uniformed and well- 

 drilled army-corps. 



Protected from harm by their thick shell-like skin and 

 their thick wing-covers, and living, as grubs, chrysalids, and 

 beetles, quite different lives, it would be hard to extermi- 



