COLEOPTERA. 489 



violet blue, having the antennas and the legs black, and the elytra of 

 a splendid golden green, with longitudinal streaks. According to 

 Re'aumur, the larva of the Calosoma often chooses a home in the nest 

 of the Procession-Moth Caterpillar (Bombyx processioned), on oak 

 trees, and it very soon rids the tree which is infested by them. 



The Calosoma auropunctata is found in the south of France. Its 

 larva (Fig. 507) devours snails, and establishes itself in their shells. 

 These larvse have been known to fill themselves so full of food as 

 to become double their natural size, in which state they are some- 

 times devoured by those of their own species. A smaller kind, the 

 Calosoma inquisitor, is very frequently to be met with in woods. Fig. 

 508 presents Calosoma sycophanta pursuing a Bombardier (Brachinus 

 explodens], which squirts out a vapour of pungent odour. 



In the countries of the south-east of Europe, and in Asia Minor, 

 one finds enormous Carabida, the Procrustes and the Proceri, 

 which attain nearly two inches in length, and whose integuments 

 resemble very rough shagreen. One species alone is met with in 

 France, the Procrustes coriaceus (Fig. 509). In Austria is found the 

 Procerus gigas (Fig. 5 1 o). 



The genus Omophron (Fig. 511) contains small, almost globular 

 Carabida of a pale yellow, with green lines, and which live in the 

 sand bordering rivers. The Nebrias in general prefer mountainous 

 countries. The largest species, the Nebria arenaria (Fig. 512), is 

 found all along the coast of the Mediterranean, and even on the 

 western shores of France. But its colours grow paler as it advances 

 northward on the African coast. It is of a bright yellow with black 

 lines. The Nebrias hide themselves either under masses of seaweed 

 cast up by the waves, or under the stumps of trees cast ashore by 

 the sea. When they are deprived of their place of shelter, they run 

 away with such rapidity that it is very difficult to catch them. In 

 Senegal is found the genus Tefflus (Fig. 513), great black Carabidce 

 with fluted elytra. 



Other kindred genera are Damaster (Fig. 514), remarkable for 

 elongated pointed elytra; Anthia (Fig. 515), which is met with in 

 sand in Africa and in India, and whose head is armed in a formid- 

 able manner; and Campy locnemis, of which Schrceteri (Fig. 516), an 

 Australian insect, of a bright black, attains to more than an inch and 

 three quarters in length, and whose short serrated legs enable it to 

 hollow out the ground. There is found on the coasts of the south 

 of France a representative of this group in the Scarites Icevigatus 

 (Fig. 517), which conceals itself in a hollow, like the cricket, and 

 devours everything which comes within its reach. 



