ORDER I. BEETLES. 33 



metamorphosis is complete, and they emerge as perfect 

 Beetles. 



A number of such larvae were considered by the ancient 

 Romans as a wholesome and delicious article of food, and 

 even fried and eaten by them, in the same manner as the 

 inhabitants of the West India Islands now do with the 

 Palm-worm, which is a disgusting-looking, fat larva, from 

 three to five inches long. This larva lives in the stem of 

 the Palm-tree, usually in the Cabbage Palm (Areca olera- 

 cea), and afterward changes into a black weevil two inches 

 long (^Calandra palmarurri), which, however, belongs to the 

 herbivorous Beetles, of which we shall speak hereafter. 



The gigantic beetles of this family, some of which are 

 from three to five inches long, are found in the tropics of 

 America, Asia, and Africa, and, from their size and mag- 

 nificent colors, as well as from the oddity of their appear- 

 ance in contrast with those of other climes, form great or- 

 naments in an Entomological cabinet. They are as rare in 

 the insect world as are the Elephants, Rhinoceroses, and 

 River Horses among beasts ; and enthusiastic entomolo- 

 gists have often paid very considerable sums of money for 

 them. 



It is not wonderful, then, that these beautiful ornaments 

 of Creation have so excited the admiration of scientific men 

 as to lead to a complete mania for collecting and preserv- 

 ing them as actually to make the observation of Insects, 

 and the study of their nature and use, the ruling passion of 

 their lives. The immortal Reaumure established on his es- 

 tate houses, or rather nurseries, for insects, and paid serv- 

 ants for attending to them, he himself watching them night 

 and day, in order to become perfectly acquainted with their 

 manner of living. His " Me'moires des Insectes," publish- 

 ed in Paris, 1734, abound with the most curious and inter- 

 esting observations. 



General Count De'jcau, Aid-de-camp to Napoleon Bona- 

 B 2 



