PUP.E OF THE ROVE BEETLES. 79 



A group of these eggs is shown on Plate IV., just below the 

 Beetle itself. 



When these are hatched little larvae issue from them, some- 

 what similar in form to the parent insect, though, of course, 

 without any vestige of wings. These larvae are quite as fierce 

 as the perfect insects, and much more voracious, eating bei^ 

 indeed, as with all larvae, the chief business of their lives. 

 They are predacious, and, though they will devour carrion when 

 they can procure it, will attack and kill any insect which comes 

 near them, not even sparing their own kind. They have an 

 ingenious mode of seizing their prey in the soft interval be- 

 tween the head and neck, and then, jjlunging their sharp and 

 curved jaws deeply into its body, suck out its juices. 



These larvae can be found throughout the spring, and may 

 often be captured by digging shallow holes in the ground in 

 some sheltered spot, placing a piece of meat, a dead bird or 

 frog, in the hole, and covering it with a stone so as to protect 

 it from the elements, but leaving space for the ingress and 

 egress of the Beetles. Towards the end of spring or the be- 

 ginning of summer, the larva is full fed, and burrows a hole 

 in the earth, in which it undergoes the change to the perfect 

 form. 



There is a strange peculiarity about the pupae of these 

 Beetles. With nearly all wing-bearing Coleoptera, the wings 

 are folded under the elytra, even though the latter organs be 

 comparatively short; but, in the pupae of these curious 

 Beetles, the wings are extended beyond the elytra and fold over 

 the breast, so that two-thirds of their length is seen beyond 

 the elytra. They remain in the pupal state for a fortnight or 

 thi-ee weeks, and then assume the perfect form. The Beetle 

 is most plentiful in the autumn. I strongly recommend any 

 of my readers not to injure this Beetle, repulsive as it may ap- 

 pear. It does no harm, either to the garden, the orchard, or 

 the field, but, on the contrary, from its inveterate insect- eating 

 habits, rather confers a benefit on the agriculturist. 



Specimens of this Beetle should always be set so as to show 

 the beautiful wings ; and one should be set on its back, in 

 order to exhibit the peculiarities of the under side. None of 

 the Brachelytra are easy insects to set properly, as their legs 

 have a tendency to twist themselves in the wrong direction, or 



