286 THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD 



Phau h H'. P. Dandd, F.Z.S. 

 KeginC: Pari 



SKIPJACK BEETLE 



The lati-ts cf this famih arc inolvn 

 as l^ire-li'orms 



low trees soon after sunset, while the 

 smaller COCH-V-BONDDHU — the "Cocker- 

 bund}-" of the angler — often appears about 

 the same time in hundreds of thousands. 

 The beautiful 

 Rose-beetle, 



too, with its 

 bright golden- 

 green wing- 

 cases marked 

 w i t h w a V y 

 whitish lines, 

 may often be 

 seen sunning 

 itself in roses 

 or on the 

 blossoms of 

 pinks. 



The 

 famous 

 Egyptian 



SCAR.\B.EUS is 



also a member 



of this group. It is remarkable not only 

 for the sacred character attributed to it 

 by the ancient Egyptians, but also for its 

 curious habit of rolling along balls of dung 

 until it can find a soft spot in which to 

 bur}' them. When the egg hatches, the grub feeds upon the dung, the quantity provided 

 being exactly sufficient for its requirements. The common DOR Beetle is allied to this in- 

 sect; it tunnels down to a 



depth of 14 or 15 inches be- ' 1 



neath a patch of excrement, and 

 lays its egg at the bottom of 

 the burrow. 



The Skipjack Beetles, 

 parents of the well-known Wire- 

 worms, which cause so much 

 mischief by feeding upon the 

 roots of cultivated crops, repre- 

 sent another group. These 

 beetles owe their popular title 

 to their singular method of re- 

 gaining their feet when they 

 happen to roll over upon theii 

 backs. Their bodies being very 

 smooth and polished, and their 

 legs very short, they cannot re- 

 cover their footing in the 

 ordinary manner. On the lower 

 part of the body, however, is a 

 highly elastic spine, known as 



Phtt, by U: p. Dand„, F.Z.S. 



MALE STAG-BEETLE 



T/ie males are often 3 inches long ; the females hai-e com, 

 jaivs 



!partiti'vely small 



Phctt h L. H. Joutet] 



HERCULES 



[A'/iy J'ori 



BEETLE FLYING 



The 



■est remarkable feature about this insect is its huge horn-like projection from the thorax^ 

 IV hick is nearly as long as the rest of it: body 



