72 THE GEODEPHAGA. 



under large stones, where many specimens may be 

 fomid congregated together, and the moment their 

 protecting screen is removed, the little artillerymen 

 commence a bombardment of a most terrific nature. 

 Each beetle will usually produce three or four succes- 

 sive discharges, but they have often been observed to 

 repeat this defensive process six or eight, or even a 

 dozen times. This explosive power is evidently con- 

 ferred upon these little creatures for their protection 

 from the larger predaceous Beetles ; and it is said that 

 by following the traditional warfare of the Parthians, 

 making the best use of his legs and artillery at the 

 same time, the little Bombardier often succeeds in 

 eluding his determined enemies. 



The last species to which I shall refer, is one well 

 worthy of a prominent place, although it is one of the 

 smallest of its tribe, measuring only about the twelfth 

 of an inch in length. In its appearance also it has 

 nothing very particular to recommend it ; its pecu- 

 liarities of form being only appreciable by the regular 

 entomologist, and its colour a pale ochre yellow, with 

 black eyes. But this little creature, the Aepus fuU 

 vescens, is remarkable for the singular locality in 

 which it is found ; it inhabits our sea-coasts, princi- 

 pally about the mouths of rivers, where it conceals 

 itself under pebbles, and what is most remarkable, 

 considering that it is an air-breathing creature, at a 

 considerable distance below high- water mark, so that 

 it is under water probably for fifteen or sixteen hours 

 out of the four-and-twenty. A second species, the 

 Aepus Robiniij is also found on our shores, and on 

 the north coast of France it has been discovered, with 

 its larva, in clefts of rocks amongst Annelides and 

 other genuine marine animals. 



