GROUND-BEETLES. 



21 



bers. The. writer has counted a great many hundreds in a small 

 space in a ditch adjoining a field invaded by the army- worms. 

 Here they were resting from the night's labor of eating such 

 worms. 



Fig. 1 6 shows one of the largest kind, the Western Pasi- 

 machus californicus Chd., and Fig. 17 a related smaller species, 

 entirely black, the ( livina impressifrons Lee. 



Fig. 16. — Pasimachus californicus 

 Chd. After Leconte. 



Fig. 17. — C livina impressifrons, 'Lee. 

 Enlarged. Alter Forbes. 



To the carnivorous beetles belong also the "Bombarding- 

 beetles," (Brachinits species), which have a red head, thorax and 

 legs, with dark blue or greenish-blue wing-covers; they are 

 quite abundant in some moist places, where they hide under loose 

 stones. Such beetles (Fig. 18) are frequently mailed to the of- 

 fice of the Entomologist to find out their names and life-history; 

 but thus far they have never been received labeled "Kissing- 

 bugs," although almost all other queer looking or queer acting 

 insects have been received as such. These bombarding-beetles 

 possess little sacs at the hind end of their bodies, in which a bad- 

 smelling fluid is secreted, which is used as a means of defense. 



