THE BOMBARDIER-BEETLE 



75 



der. His ammunition was exhausted, and he evidently 

 carried only three rounds. 



I had heard of a beetle with these same bombarding 

 propensities which was found in Europe, and called the 

 "bombardier," but had never known of its being found 

 in this country. After a night's 

 rest in captivity the explo- 

 sive spunk of the insect 

 was revived, and I got 

 another round of three 

 shots out of him, the 

 puff of white smoke- 

 like vapor staining 

 the tin on the in- \ 



III 



terior of the box and leaving a pungent, acid-like odor. 



Since that first discovery I have found a number of 

 the specimens, and their remarkable powers as cracks- 

 men are a never-failing source of mirth, even to those 

 who have served as a target. 



It is said by the naturalists that this peculiarity of 

 the bombardier affords a means of protection against its 



