V ADEPHAGA CARABIDAE 20 5 



body. The Carabidae are carnivorous and predaceous both as 

 larvae and perfect Insects ; they attack living Insects, worms, or 

 other small, soft creatures, but do not disdain dead specimens. 

 Some species of Carahus, found in North Africa where snails 

 abound, are specially formed for attacking these molluscs, having 

 the liead long and slender so that it can be thrust into the shell 

 of the snail. A few species have been detected eating growing corn, 

 and even the young seeds of some Umbelliferae ; these belong chiefly 

 to the genera JlarjJalus, Zabrus, and Amara. Some species of the 

 abundant genera Fterostichus and Hmycdus, are said to be fond of 

 ripe strawberries. The most anomalous forms of Carabidae are the 

 Pseudomorphides, a sub-family almost peculiar to Australia, the 

 members of which live under bark, and have but little resemblance 

 to other Carabids owing to their compact forms and continuous 

 outlines. The genus Mormolyce is one of the wonders of the Insect 

 world on account of the extraordinary shape of its members ; the 

 sides of the elytra form large crinkled expansions, and the head 

 is unusually elongate. These Insects live on the underside of 

 fallen trees in the Malay Archipelago and Peninsula ; no reason 

 whatever can be at present assigned for their remarkable shape. 



There are a considerable number of blind members of this 

 family : some of them live in caverns ; these belong chiefly to 

 the genus Anophthalmus, species of which have been detected in 

 the caves of the Pyrenees, of Austria, and of North America. 

 It has been shown that the optic nerves and lobes, as well as the 

 external organs of vision, are entirely wanting in some of these 

 cave Carabidae ; the tactile setae have, however, a larger develop- 

 ment than usual, and the Insects are as skilful in running as if 

 they possessed eyes. Ancyphthalmus is closely related to our 

 Britisli genus Trechus, the species of which are very much given 

 to living in deep crevices in the earth, or under large stones, and 

 have some of them very small eyes. In addition to these 

 cavernicolous Anoijhthalmus, other blind Carabidae have been 

 discovered during recent years in various parts of the world, 

 w^here they live under great stones deeply embedded in the 

 earth ; these blind lapidicolous Carabidae are of extremely 

 minute size and of most sluggish habits ; the situations in 

 which they are found suggest that many successive generations 

 are probably passed under the same stone. Not a single 

 specimen has ever been found above ground. The minute 



