The Water Tiger 



20^ 



differ from the ground beetles in the form of the 

 hinder soekets and shields which join the legs to 

 the body. These are very large, touching each 

 other on the inner edge and reaching the side of 

 the body, entirely cutting off the belly divisions 

 from that part called the jVIetathorax.* 



They have oar-like swim- 

 ming legs decorated with long 

 hairs. The hind pair are flat- 

 tened like a paddle or oar blade. 

 The young are hose-shaped with 

 big flat heads armed with prun- 

 ing-knife-like jaws with which 

 they grab their prey or even 

 cut off the pollpvogs' tails. 

 Sometimes they catch small 

 minnows and suck their blood. / ^^^ 



THE WATER TIGER 



The bo(h^ of the Water Tiger ends in a pair of 

 long breathing tubes (Fig. 180) which it pushes 

 up into the air. When ready for change, the larva 

 creeps on to land, builds itself a round prison, and 

 two or three weeks later the beetle comes out, 



* That part of the chest or thorax between the upper thorax or 

 chest and the belly or abdomen. 



