BEETLES. 21 



carrion, and the Ibis on account of its devouring 

 snakes, were considered as protected by the Gods. 

 The Lady-birds have likewise been held in high esti- 

 mation from the remotest ages. In Germany they 

 have been called Frauen, or Marien-Kafer (Lady Bee- 

 tles of the Virgin Mary), and in France Vaches de 

 Dieu, or Betes de la Vierge, (Cows of the Lord, or 

 Animals of the Virgin.) 



Persons who have plants in their conservatories 

 infested with plant-lice, will easily get rid of them, 

 and preserve their plants, by putting a number of 

 Lady-birds, or their grubs, upon the plants. A very 

 simple and a sure remedy for a very troublesome evil. 



The Tiger-beetle, another Beetle of prey, is so 

 called, on account of its variegated colour and its 

 rapacious propensity to devour every insect that comes 

 in its way. It acts like the tiger among Mammalia, 

 the hawk .among Birds, the crocodile among Reptiles, 

 or the shark among Fishes. They are ravenous wolves 

 among insects, feeding on caterpillars, flies, other species 

 of beetles and rain-worms, and will even devour one 

 another when shut up together, which, however, is 

 done by all the insects, probably enraged at the idea 

 of being made prisoners. 



These Beetles have a cylindrical neck, an oval and 

 flat abdomen, their wing-covers flat, their head thick, 

 with large round eyes, long denticulated jaws, thread- 



