67 



('olonfs, Metallic Green, Purple 

 and Copper, 



Fig, 70. The largest and handsomest member of the family is 



the green Caterpillar-hunter (Calosoma scrutator. Fab. — 

 ' The iieautiful-bodied Searcher '), Fig. 70. It is of the 

 same general shape as the following species, but no wood- 

 cut can convey an idea of its exceeding beauty and bril- 

 liance of colour. The head and thorax are dark purplish 

 black, the latter with a greenish coppery margin ; the wing 

 covers (elytra) are bright and shining green, with fine lon- 

 gitudinal lines and scattered punctures, and a broad, coppery 

 red margin ; the under-side is deep shining green varied 

 with coppery markings : the legs are blackish-brown, in 

 some lights deep purple. This magnificent beetle, as its 

 name implies, feeds upon caterpillars, especially the obnox- 

 ious canker-worm of the United States, sometimes even 

 ascending trees for the purpose ; its larva (or grub) has also 

 the same useful propensities. It is rather a rare insect in 

 Canada, though found occasionally in most parts of Ontario; 

 collectors of insects can often find specimens in summer after a southerly 

 gale,on the outer shore of Toronto Island, which is a famous place for 

 obtaining rare beetles that have been drowned in the lake and washed 

 ashore by the waves. 



Another caterpillar-hunter, (Fig. 71), belonging to the same genus 

 as the preceding, is quite a common insect in Canada, and can be found 

 in May and June under logs or stoncs,as long as the ground is moist ; in 

 the hot dry weather it is not so readily met with. It is called the hot, 

 or glowing Calosoma (C Calidiiin, Fabr,) from the appearance of the 

 wing-covers, which are black with six rows of bright coppery impressed 

 spots, thus bearing a fanciful resemblance to a vessel of coals with a 

 perforated cover. Its general colour is shining black, unrelieved except 

 by the spots just mentioned ; still it is a handsome beetle, though not to be compared to the 

 breceding species, L'ke its congener, it devours caterpillars with avidity, both in its larval 

 and perfect states, and is a capital hand at reducing tl,e numbers of 

 those horrid pests, the cut-worms ; we usually transport a number of 

 these big beetles into our garden every spring to keep down these cut- 

 ters-oif of our young cabbage plants. 



The next large beetle of this family to which we would draw at- 

 tention, is the murky ground beetle (Uarpahia CaUginosfus, Say) ; it is 

 entirely of a dull black colour, and may be readily recognized from Fig, 

 72. We beg our readers to take particular notice of this figure, as 

 fheve are a very large number of beetles of the same general shape and 

 structure, though usually smaller, that prey upon other insects and are 

 consequently useful to man. Any dark -brown, black, green or metallic 

 coloured beetles of this shape, that are found under chips, or stones in 

 damp places, or running in grass, may be safely considered as belonging 

 to this family, and therefore be treated with kindness and conside- 

 ration ; it always gives us a pang of regret to find the crushed 

 body of one of these beetles lying by the way side, where it has 

 been ruthlessly trampled under foot by some ignorant " lord of 

 creation." The particular .species here referred to is stated by Mr. 

 Riley to be a formidable enemy of that western plague, the Colora- 

 do potato beetle ; it is also satisfactory to learn that an allied spe- 

 cies (II. Peit!i)jlra7iirux,De Geer ?) a very common insect in Canada, 

 is a merciless devourer of the plum curculio. Fig. 73 represents 

 the perfect insect, and Fig. 74 the larva. 



Fij,'. 7a 



