90 MODERN CLASSIFICATION OF INSECTS. 



They are distinguished by their general large size, varying from 

 three-fourths to one inch and a quarter in length. They appear to 

 be confined to moderate climes, being seldom or never found nearer 

 than 30° to the equator. It has been stated by M. Westermann (Sil- 

 berm. Rev. Ent. No. 3.) that no species of this genus exists in India. 

 Mr. Hope has, however, described one, C. Wallichii, in his Synopsis 

 of Nepaul Coleoptera (GraT/, Zool. Mis. vol. i.). The Carabus monilis 

 has been stated to reside in a chamber dug out in the earth of a 

 garden, just sufficient to contain its body, and carefully smoothed and 

 polished ; formed, as it would seem, not by digging out the earth and 

 removing it, but by the insect pushing its body forcibly against the 

 walls of its cell. I should conceive, however, that these cells were the 

 situations in which the insects had undergone their transformations. 

 This insect appears to be fond of celery trenches. Mr. Sheppard 

 once observed a specimen running cautiously round a small luminous 

 Centipede, which it evidently wished, but feared, to attack. M. Von 

 Winthem noticed, at the meeting of German naturalists in 1 830, the oc- 

 cuiTence of the larva of Tachina pacta, one of the parasitic Muscidae, in 

 the bodiesof Carabus gemmatus and violaceus ; and Walch describes a 

 curious emigrationof myriads of a species of Carabus, which he observed 

 in the month of August (^Naturf. aSV. xi.). The greatest confusion ex- 

 ists in the works of English entomologists relative to the specific names 

 of many of the species of this genus, much of which might have been 

 avoided had the original Linnaean specimens, preserved at the Lin- 

 naean Society, been collated with British individuals of the different 

 species. It will be sufficient to state, that the Carabus hortensis 

 Linn, is not a British insect. 



The species of Calosoma are found upon trees, being furnished 

 with ample wings, enabling them to obtain their necessary food, 

 which consists of great numbers of the larvae of Lepidoptera, their 

 larvae having also similar habits, as above detailed. 



The species o^ Nebria are for the most part inhabitants of the sea- 

 coast ; whilst the Helobiae, which are united with the former by French 

 authors, are inland species, some frequenting the highest mountains. 

 I have taken the H. Gyllenhallii on the summits of Snowdon. 

 The structure of the mouth of Pelophila so nearly resembles that of 

 Nebria, whilst its general form is similar to Blethisa, that the propriety 

 of uniting the Elaphridea with the Carabidea appears evident. 



The species of Elaphrus {Jig. 4. 15. El. uliginosus) and Notio- 



