62 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



carried to the greatest perfection. In the tropics some few genera are 

 found which alight only on the leaves of trees, but further north the)' are 

 all terrestrial. The species are more numerous in the temperate and sub- 

 tropical regions, and gradually disappear from view as we journey towards 

 the north pole, until in the latitude of Manitoba (as we are told) but two 

 or three are to be found. 



Let us take our instrumenta belli and go in quest of some of the 

 dozen species we have in Canada (in North America there are about one 

 hundred). Let us hurry before yonder clouds obscure the sun, for then — 

 like chickens in an eclipse — they will retire to their homes. Here is a 

 likely spot, and there are some specimens of our commonest species (C. 

 vulgaris). Go for that one ! He sees us as quickly as we spy him, and 

 is off, flying rapidly for a few yards and then coming suddenly to the 

 ground with his head towards the enemy. Again and again we start him ; 

 at length he tires of the chase and takes a longer flight than usual ; we 

 know his little plan, and hurry back to where we first saw him in time to 

 see him alight all unsuspectingly, and we easily take him captive in our 

 toils. Let us examine him. He savagely moves his mandibles and tries 

 to pinch, but his bite is inoffensive and not very painful. Some of them 

 give forth a rather strong scent. This one is a little over an inch long, 

 but barely a quarter of one broad ; his head is very large, for he has 

 brains ; his jaws are very strong, for he has an appetite, and long and 

 curved — a couple of scimitars, in fact, by which he cuts and carves the 

 quivering carcasses of his prey. His eleven-jointed antennae are grace- 

 ful, long and slender. Tis true that his back is of rather a dull purple 

 color, but beneath he is resplendent in a beautiful bright brassy green. 

 Each wing cover is adorned with three whitish irregular stripes. His legs 

 are long and slender, just the things on which to hunt the active insects 

 which he feeds upon. 



Michelet speaks of the beauty of one of the next of kin of the cap- 

 tive in our fingers thus glowingly : " The rich and living aliment of the 

 unfortunate insect victim apparently communicates to the Cicindela its 

 glowing colors. Its entire body is embellished with them ; on the wings 

 a changeful besprinkling of peacock's eyes ; on the fore parts numerous 

 meanders, diversely and softly shaded, are trailed over a dark ground. 

 Abdomen and legs are glazed with such rich hues that no enamel can 

 sustain a comparison with them ; the eye can scarcely endure their 

 vivacity. The singular thing is, that beside these enamels you find the 



