AMERICAN PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY. 415 



[From the Transactions of tlie American Philosopliical Society, Ne-^ 

 Series, vol. 1, 1818, pp. 401-426.] 



A Monograpli of North American insects, of the genus CICINDELA. 



Read, 7th November, 1817. 



It will perhaps be tliought necessary, previous to entering into 

 a technical detail of the characters of the genus Cicindela, and 

 of the indigenous individuals which are comprehended by it, that 

 some account of the manners of this sprightly tribe should be 

 given, and of such circumstances, relating to them, as may serve 

 to present them to the recollection of the general observer. I 

 shall accordingly proceed to state, that these insects usually fre- 

 quent arid, denudated soils; are very agile, run with greater celer- 

 ity than the majority of the vast order to which they belong; and 

 rise upon the wing, almost with the facility of the common fly. 

 They are always to be seen, during the warm season, in roads or 

 pathways, open to the sun, where the earth is beaten firm and 

 level. At the approach of the traveller, they fly up suddenly to 

 the height of a few feet, pursuing then a horizontal course, and 

 alighting again at a short distance in advance, as suddenly as 

 they arose. The same individual may be roused again and again 

 but when he perceives himself the object of a particular pursuit, 

 he evades the danger by a distant and circuitous flight, usually 

 directed towards his original station. It is worthy of observation, 

 as a peculiarity common to the species, that when they alight, 

 after having been driven from [402] their previous position, they 

 usually perform an evolution in the air near the earth, so as to 

 bring the head in the direction of the advancing danger, in order 

 to be the more certainly warned of its too near approach. 



They lead a predatory life, and as it would appear, are well 

 adapted to it, by their swiftness, and powerful weapons of attack. 

 The beaten path, or open sandy plain, is preferred, that the 

 operations of the insects may not be impeded by the stems and 

 leaves of vegetables, through which, owing to their elongated 

 feet, they pass with evident difficulty and embarrassment. They 



