appear to extract, though it has been asserted, 

 but we know not upon what authority, that in 

 addition to their liquid food they prey also upon 

 insects. 



When alarmed for their safety, the cocardes 

 are suddenly protruded, and when reassured of 

 security, these singular organs are retracted, so 

 that no remnant of them remains in view. The 

 cocardes are three-lobed bodies, of a vivid red 

 colour, and vesicular consistence, situated one 

 on each side near the anterior angles of the 

 thorax, and another on each side at the base 

 of the abdomen. Their uses are altogether 

 unknown, but we cannot suppose them to be 

 of primary importance, since one, and indeed 

 all of them have been cut off without dimi- 

 nishing the agility of the insect, or subjecting 

 it to any apparent inconvenience. Like the 

 retractile cervical appendage of the larvae of 

 Papiliones, it may possibly serve to repel their 

 enemies. Olivier supposes that the larvae of the 

 Malachius live in wood. Latreille informs us 

 that in some of the species one sex has an 

 appendice at the tip of each elytrum, in the 

 shape of a hook, which is seized by the man- 

 dibles of the opposite sex, in order to arrest the 

 fugitive. 



PLATE 48. 



