MR HARDT ON THE HABITS OF HELOBIA BREVIC0LL18. 163 



abandoned, they have escaped notice, until the recent discovery of 

 the coins in connection with them has pointed out to Mc antiquary 

 their existence, their probable tues^ period of erection, and fi.nal 

 abandonment. 



On the Habits of Helobia brevicollis. By Mr James Hardy. 



Helobia brevicollis is the predominant beetle on the heathy 

 moors of Berwickshire, not only by the dry wall sides, but also on 

 the borders of the wettest bogs ; occurring singly, in pairs, or in 

 companies more or less numerous, throughout the season. The 

 period of transformation appears to vary: a pair was found 

 coupled in the end of December 1843, and young brown insects 

 were seen on 24th June 1844. Many solitary females, in the 

 beginning of July, are retired from the promiscuous herds, to de- 

 posit their eggs in safety. I have endeavoured, without much 

 success, to ascertain the food of this very prevalent species. It 

 is, probably, a check on the numerous colonies of Oniscus asellus 

 frequenting stones with it ; and the heaths always afford abun- 

 dance of the larva of Haltica oleracea. It is partial to stones 

 which the Formica rubra has tenanted, lurking in the latebras 

 hollowed out by the industrious community. It often even in- 

 habits the same stone with the ants ; and, on one occasion, there 

 were a number of gnawed ants under that part of the stone 

 occupied by the Helobia. It would thus appear that these visits 

 are aggressive ; and I am persuaded that the ants are often forced 

 to dislodge, and search out a more secure residence. On a second 

 occasion, three or four had seized on and mangled a larva of one of 

 the larger Carabi ; they were also detected devouring earwigs ; and 

 a dead Clivina fossor augments the catalogue of their spoils. It 

 also appears, that what Gesner relates of wolves in times of 

 urgent hunger, that they attack and devour the weaker of their 

 kind, holds true of the HelobioB ; as, in addition to the quan- 

 tity of dismembered elytra and limbs lying under almost every 

 stone, I once met with two recently slaughtered insects, beside 

 a colony of six or seven others. One had its head already eaten 

 otf. An Anxara was also present, and kept fast beside the slain 



