COLEOPTERA. 99 



X' *'&/ 



is all of which the beetle larvae are capable. The Cicindela 



larva, a strange distorted animal, whose humped shoulders, 

 large head, and great curved jaws form his chief attrac- 

 tions in front, while his hinder parts display another 

 hump ornamented with two sharp hooks (fig. 39), seems 

 to be haunted by some not uncalled- pi g . 39. 



for doubts as to the impression likely 

 to be produced by his appearance, 



and accordingly conceals himself in a 



. , ., , Larva of Cicindela 



deep burrow, where ne awaits such (Tiger Beetle). 

 prey as may pass by that way. The ( From Westwood.) 

 burrow, which is frequently found in sunny banks, is 

 cylindrical, and a foot or a foot and a half in depth, and 

 by means partly of his hooks, partly of his legs, he fixes 

 himself at its opening, dragging his prey, when caught, 

 to the bottom. 



The larva of the Devil's coachhorse digs a deep pitfall 

 in somewhat the same manner, but has not the peculi- 

 arities of form so remarkable in the Cicindela. It is a 

 long, flat, slender, many-jointed, six-legged animal, with 

 a large head ; altogether greatly resembling the perfect 

 insect, except in the absence of wings and wing-cases, 

 and of any evident separation between the thorax and 

 abdomen. 



Whilst the Cicindela is provided with hooks acting like 

 anchors, the larva of the Cassida is furnished at the tail 

 with a long fork, which it is able, when at rest, to turn 

 over, and carry parallel with its back. The use of this ap- 

 pendage would be difficult to guess, had not the insect 

 been repeatedly found with this fork laden with excre- 

 ment, which, held over the body, forms a screen which 

 completely conceals it. 



The species of Crioceris (Asparagus beetle), form this 

 H2 



