WHIRLIGIG BEETLES. 69 



orange, the pattern is dark brown. The specific name of 

 festivus, or " handsome," is given to it in consequence of its 

 beautiful colouring. 



The Gyrinidse, or Whirligig Beetles, of foreign countries 

 follow the same rule as the Dyticidse, being scarcely larger than 

 our familiar British species, and resembling them also in colour 

 and form. There is, however, one group of Gyrinidse whicli is 

 so utterly unlike the British species that it is well worthy of 

 description. This is the genus Porrorhynchiis. 



This rather crabbed word is a very appropriate one. It is 

 composed of two Greek words, the former signifying " forward," 

 and the other " a snout." It is given to these insects because 

 their heads are lengthened in front to a point which projects 

 forward like the snout of a pig or any similar animal. The 

 word, by the way, might have been written with equal accuracy 

 ProsorhyncMs, and so the three successive " r's" might have been 

 avoided. 



In these Beetles the fore-legs, whicli are used for seizing 

 their prey, are extremely long, 

 forming a great contrast to the ----:-';^^i^ " 



short limbs of our British species. "^^^^B^^^^^R.^ ^-^ 



The antennse are very short, thick, ^^^^^^5 



and straight, and the eyes are -^ '^ 



yellowish white, showing out 



1 • j_ ji 11 Fig. 28. — Porrorhynchus marginatus. 



conspicuously against the dark (Black-trown, with orange edge.) 



shining head. The colour of the 



insect is very dark black-brown, with a distinct olive-green 

 gloss, and very highly polished. If--lhe reader will refer to 

 the illustration, he will see that a stripe of lighter colour than 

 the rest runs round the edge of the elytra. This band is yellow, 

 sometimes pale, but in many specimens deepens into orange. 

 The specific title marginatus, or " bordered," refers to this con- 

 spicuous stripe. 



The general outline of these Beetles is very remarkable. The 

 sharply-pointed snout has already been noticed. At the shoulder 

 the body is widest, and then narrows very slightly towards the 

 end, where it is abruptly squared off. Each elytron, however, is 

 furnished at the tips with two long and sharp spikes, the object 

 of which is not easy to determine. If the insect be viewed 



