THE ORDERS OF INSECTS. it 



England also. It is about half the size of the Cockchafer, and 

 has brown elytra, \nd a bronzy-green head and thorax. Shak- 

 speare's " shard-horn beetles, with their drowsy hum " belong to 

 the genus Geotrupcs. They are black beetles, about the size and 



\ 



Gcotrufcs Stcrcorarius, natural size. 



shape of a Cockchafer, and fly about in the evening. They are 

 black above and purple below, and feed on dung, as do likewise 

 the little beetles of the genus Aphodius> which resemble very 

 small Cockchafers in appearance, and are often to be seen flying 

 over dung, even on dusty roads. 



The Stag Beetle is our largest British beetle, measuring nearly 

 two inches in length in large specimens, but it varies considerably 



Click Beetle (Elatcr Sat/guincus), natural size. 



in size. It is remarkable for the enormous size of the jaws of 

 the male. The larva feeds on the wood of trees, and the 

 perfect insect on the sap. 



The Elatcrida are long, narrow beetles, with hard wing-cases. 



