COLEOPTERA. BR ACII ELYTRA. 165 



puts itself into a most ferocious-looking posture of defence, throwing 

 the tail over the head like a scorpion, protruding the anal vesicles, 

 elevating its head, and widely opening its long and powerful jaws. 



Some of the species appear to prefer damp situations and the banks of 

 running streams. Various Oxyteli, and especially the Steni, are thus 

 subaquatic ; they are also remarkable for the size of their eyes, and are 

 probably predaceous in their habits. The motions of the last-named 

 insects are curious. I have often observed them running for a short 

 distance, and then suddenly stopping, alternately raising and depressing 

 the abdomen, and then starting off again. Some species will even bear 

 submersion under the tide for a considerable time (Hesperophilus, 

 Rudd. Entomol. Mag. vol. ii.). Dr. Johnston of Berwick upon Tweed 

 has also lately discovered a new insect in similar situations near that 

 town, which I have described and figured in the Mag. Zool. and Hot. 

 vol. ii., under the name of Micralymma Johnstonae. 



The geographical range of this group of insects is evidently con- 

 fined to the temperate climes of the northern hemisphere. Thus in the 

 first edition of Dejean's Catalogue, out of 434 Brachelytra twelve only 

 were extra-European, whilst in the second edition out of 789 species 

 176 were extra- European ; but of the latter number the majority are 

 from North America. This circumstance, indeed, evidently proves 

 the rarity of the insects ; Dr. Horsfield, who collected so assiduously 

 in Java, did not even bring home a single individual of this stirps. 

 Mr. MacLeay endeavours to account for this fact by considering that 

 the ants and white ants in tropical climates supply the place of these 

 insect-scavengers of more temperate climates. M. Lacordaire also 

 states that he found very few Brachelytra in Brazil {Ann. Sc. Nat., 

 June, 1830). The few species, however, which have been received 

 from tropical climates are remarkable for the singularity of their 

 forms and the splendour of their colours, Mr. Stephens has de- 

 scribed not fewer than 800 species inhabiting this country. It is also 

 to be noticed that in these, as well as in all the preceding groups of 

 insects, it very rarely happens that the exotic species exceed those of 

 our own country in size. 



The eggs of these insects are of a large size, that of Goerius 

 olens exceeding those of any other English insect, being a line and 

 a half long and a line broad (Introd. to Ent. vol. iii. p. 90.). The 

 larva; bear considerable resemblance to the perfect insects, both in 

 their structure and habits, being found in similar situations and 



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