ioo ROMANCE OF THE INSECT WORLD CHAP. 



Upon holding a leaf so marked to the light, the 

 tracks are perceived to be due to the absence of the 

 parenchyma ; they are in fact galleries or tunnels 

 between the upper and lower membranes burrowed 

 out by larvae, by the laborious procedure of eating 

 the excavated material as they go. In most cases 

 towards one end the gallery increases largely in 

 width, and here the miner changes to pupa, and from 

 this part flies when mature. The minuteness of 

 these insects is realised when we consider that the 

 thickness of many a leaf is not greater than that of 

 this sheet of paper. Yet within this space the larvae 

 find room to exist. It is worth while to remember 

 that the early states of winged insects are always 

 large in proportion to the imago condition, much of 

 the substance being taken up by the rudimentary 

 wings. Leaf miners belong to the orders Lepidoptera, 

 Coleoptera, and Diptera, though Lepidoptera furnishes 

 by far the greatest numbers. These are so minute 

 that they can hardly be recognised as moths, and 

 are simply exquisite gems of Nature. 



Amongst British Coleoptera, the common green 

 tiger beetle (Cicindela campestris) is very interesting 

 in its habits. Though small it is remarkable for 

 fierceness, while for grace and beauty it challenges 

 comparison with the grandest exotics. As a larva 

 it has all the love for slaughter evinced by its parents, 

 but its sedentary tastes and bodily structure, its 

 white delicate skin and short legs, would seem to 

 preclude gratification of the desire. So far as chase 

 or open assault is concerned it makes no attempt ; 

 it leaves warfare alone, and resorts to diplomacy. 



