THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 65 



of spring crawl out of their earthy chambers to run and sport on earth, 

 seldom using their new found wings to fly away from their beloved mother. 

 The grubs are curious creatures — hideous hunchbacks, fig. 15, but 

 possessed of brain and stomach. They live in the same localities as their 

 parents, the anxious mother having wisely deposited her eggs where food 

 will be most easily attainable by the larvae. Let us examine a grub. 

 LeConte says that we can easily procure one in spring by placing a fine 

 straw down one of their holes, for the grub will push it out, and rising 

 above ground in his efforts, may be captured. Here is a hole, and down 

 goes a straw. Master Cicindela does not like vegetables, and so seeks to 

 eject it with his broad head ; when he shows himself we quickly seize 

 him. A perfect Daniel Quilp we find him, with head enormous, flat, 

 metallic color, armed with long curved jaws. The legs are six in num- 

 ber, and on the back, half way between the legs and tail, "are two curious 

 tubercles, each terminating in a pair of recurved hooks." The head and 

 first division of the body are horny, the rest of the creature is soft. " The 

 larva has all the desire for slaughter evinced by its parents, but its delicate 

 skin, long body and short legs, not only prevent it from chasing prey, but 

 from attempting a struggle with an insect of any size ; nevertheless this 

 imperfectly armed creature manages to obtain its food without exposing 

 itself to much risk. With its short, thick, spiny legs it loosens the earth, 

 and then using its flat head as a shovel, and turning itself into a Z, hoists 

 up the clay and upsets it around the mouth of its intended hole. With 

 head and legs, perseverance and time, it sinks a shaft as large in diameter 

 as a lead pencil and about a foot in depth. (Dr. Duncan says that in 

 England C. campestris runs a horizontal gallery as well.) The loose earth 

 around the opening gives way on the approach of any insect and pre- 

 cipitates it into the jaws of the Cicindela, which then descends into its 

 cavern and there at its leisure devours its food." The insect crawls in its 

 tunnel with ease, and if it wishes to remain set fast it sticks the back of 

 its body against the sides and rests safely with the aid of its hooks. In 

 this position it can poke its head out of the ground, thus closing the 

 entrance of its tunnel and awaiting until some ant or other insect passes 

 over. The top of the larva's head forms the floor of the cavity, and when 

 an insect touches it the larva descends at once and with great precipita- 

 tion, and thus the victim falls into the hole. When fully grown the larva 

 closes up the mouth of its abode, and in quiet and solitude undergoes its 

 metamorphosis, lying dormant during the winter months. 



