DIGGING FOR BEETLES. 25 



creeping into clefts already existing, they make tunnels for 

 themselves. Tunnelling Beetles are almost invariably cylindric 

 in shape, and this is the case with the Scaritidae. The thorax 

 of these Beetles is rather peculiarly shaped, being separated 

 from the abdomen by a sort of neck, or ' pedunculated,' if we 

 use the scientific term. The tibiae of the first pair of legs, 

 which are the tools chiefly used in burrowing, are very hard, 

 very strong, and boldly toothed, and the antennse are short, 

 and have scarcely any distinction between the joints. 



One of the best examples of the Scaritidae is shown on Wood- 

 cut II. Fig. 4, and is an insect called Clivina fossor. The 

 length of this Beetle is rather more than a quarter of an inch. 

 Its colour is exceedingly variable, ranging from ]3itchy-black 

 to chestnut, brown, or even brick-red. This variation in colour 

 depends chiefly upon the exposure to the air, the oldest speci- 

 mens being the darkest. This gradual darkening by exposure 

 to light is very frequent among insects ; and a too familiar 

 example may be found in the common cockroach, which is 

 often seen almost white, darkening gradually until it assumes 

 its well-known red-brown hue. There are only two British 

 examples of this genus. 



Usually, the Clivina is found under stones and in heaps of 

 decaying vegetable matter, but I have taken great numbers 

 out of a large rotten log, which was seen to be full of their 

 burrows as soon as the bark was removed. I took out of the 

 same log both the larvae and pupae of the same Beetle, having 

 nothing to do but to break up the soft and rotten wood with a 

 powerful digger, previously laying a newspaper below the 

 log. The insects fell out in numbers without being injured, 

 and could be taken in any number. 



The instrument which is here mentioned was not of the usual 

 form, but was made to order, and a very useful article it was. 

 It was shaped something like a mattock, the blade being 

 trowel-shaped and slightly curved, and a broad hammer taking 

 the place of the prongs. The blade was very strong and sharp- 

 edged, and on occasion could serve as an axe, while the 

 hammer end was useful for breaking up the hardened earth in 

 which many Beetles reside. It was particularly useful during 

 hard frosts, because the Beetles are then in their winter quarters, 

 and cannot be got at without some such weapon. If I were 



