COLEOPTEROUS INSECTS. 125 



CARABUS AURATUS. 



PLATE II. Fig. I. 



Fabricius, Syst. Eleuth. p. 175 — Olivier, iii. 35, p. 32, No. 

 30, pi. 51, fig. 5, a, &, c — Dejean, Spec, Gener. p. 111. 



The colour of the upper side is green, glossed 

 with golden yellow. The head is faintly punctured, 

 and there are two longitudinal impressions between 

 the antennae. The organs of the mouth, and the 

 four lowest joints of the antennae, are reddish. The 

 thorax is marked like the head, and has a longitu- 

 dinal line down the middle, and a transverse im- 

 pression on each side near the posterior angles. 

 The elytra are oval and convex, each of them with 

 three elevated ridges, the spaces between which 

 are covered with small raised points, making them 

 appear somewhat granulated. The under parts of 

 the body are black, the anterior part slightly tinged 

 with green. The legs are rust-red, and the tarsi 

 brown. The ordinary length is about an inch. 



This is a very common insect throughout France, 

 where it is known by the name of le Jardinier ; but 

 it becomes rare as we advance northward, occurring 

 very seldom in Germany and Sweden, A few in- 

 stances are recorded of its having been taken in 

 Britain, but it must be ranked among the rarest of 

 our indigenous beetles. 



