Feathers and Feelers 157 



the walls of Its cjll, Is of brief duration. In the same 

 autumn that It closes its door for the last time, it makes 

 a complete transformation from a groveling grub to 

 a perfect beetle. But the now winged tiger, instead of 

 emerging at once from Its lair, goes Into a long winter 

 sleep, and does not awaken until the warm and balmy 

 air of May arouses it from Its lethargy; whereupon It 

 digs Its way through the sand that blocks the shaft, 

 finding Itself finally at the surface. Here It proceeds to 

 clean Itself. As It rids Its feelers and other appendages 

 of particles of clinging dirt, the metallic sheen of Its 

 armor becomes resplendent. Its body underneath and 

 over the head and thorax Is a deep bronze green. Its 

 elytra are mottled with blotches of creamy buff; and It 

 occasionally lifts them to give Its wings a flick In the 

 genial sunshine. Like the larva. It has a pair of terrible 

 jaws. In repose they are crossed; and, as the inner 

 edge of each sickle is provided with several strong, 

 sharp teeth, it Is easy to see with what deadly efficiency 

 the tiger beetle can work. The possession of this 

 weapon gives It a sort of courageous confidence even 

 In respect to humans; for If It be flushed it will run for 

 a short distance and then fly just out of reach to face 

 boldly the pursuer upon alighting. 



We will here leave CIcindela engaged in Its oper- 

 ations preliminary to taking its maiden flight. To fol- 

 low It farther would be to witness a life of further 

 slaughter, but add nothing essentially of Interest 

 therein — unless, perhaps, It be that It Is double brooded 

 and also hibernates in the perfect or adult stage : prob- 

 abilities which are founded on more than a mere sus- 

 picion, but which are not known to be certainly true. 



