CLICK BEETLES OR SKIP JACKS. 253 



One night when sitting quiet we observed a click 

 beetle on the floor; we touched it and it at once 

 became quite still as if dead. In a few secoi.ds 

 it moved again : we touched it, with a similar re- 

 'suit, but it remained quiet for a longer period. 

 We continued to touch it at intervals, several times, 

 and each time the quiet period became much longer, 

 until finally it remained quiet for an hour, pre- 

 tending to be dead or at least to be taking the 

 best means of attracting as little attention as 

 possible. 



Family Buprestidae. 



Buprestids, Jewel or Flower Beetles. 



(Plate 31, Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7.) 



The adult beetles feed on the nectar and pollen 

 of flowers. Scores may be found on the flowers 

 of the Dwarf Apple (Angophora) in the hot sum- 

 mer months of December and January. The smaller 

 jewel beetles may be found on almost every nectar 

 bearing open kind of flower such as Leptospermum, 

 or Tea Tree, Eucalyptus, Kunzea, etc. 



The adult is a smooth beetle often of most jay 

 colours, or with beautiful metallic tints; there are 

 also a few more homely coloured ones. The ap- 

 pendages of the body are tucked away out of sight 

 in repose, and this intensifies the smooth appear- 

 ance. The elytra are very strong. These beetles 

 are broad at the head and thorax and taper often 

 to a relatively fine point at the tail. The large 

 j-rothorax fits tightly against the mesothorax and 



