BEETLES. 73 



hind body, and ending in a point which is enclosed 

 in a sheath while the animal is erect. When, therefore, 

 this Insect is laid upon its back, it bends its thorax 

 and head, and, at the other extremity, its hind body 

 backwards towards the surface upon which it is laid, 

 which motion causes its spring to fly out of its sheath, 

 like the spring of a watch, and throws the Beetle 

 perpendicularly up in the air a distance of several 

 inches. If they do not succeed the first time in 

 recovering their standing posture, they repeat the 

 operation perseveringly until they do, oftentimes to 

 the great amusement of the children, who catch them 

 and lay them on their backs in their hands. 



These Insects generally deposit their eggs in the 

 crevices of the bark of decaying trees, where their 

 larvse live several years before they become perfect 

 Beetles. A few of the smaller species, whose larvse 

 live in the ground and feed on roots, may become 

 somewhat injurious to vegetation. 



There are many species of Spring-beetles on this 

 continent, which may be distinguished by their size, 

 colour, and antenna?. The largest and handsomest 

 in the United States is 



Tlw Velvet-spotted Spring-Beetle. (Elater occulatus.) 



Plate IK. Fig. 11. 



This Insect is about one and a half inches long, 

 > 

 and slender : some species are longer, and others 



