UNDER THE BARK. 53 



each of which had been tested by a squirrel and then 

 thrown into the hollow between the tree and the bark. 



There are plenty of beetles which find a shelter 

 under the bark during the months of winter. While 

 taking off one of the bark strips I saw something black 

 wriggling violently under the chisel, and presently saw 

 that it was a fine ' Devil's Coach-horse ' (Goerius olens), 

 which had evidently attacked the chisel after the 

 manner of its fearless kind, and got itself caught be- 

 tween the blade and the wood. This is not a pretty 

 creature, but it is a wonderfully courageous one, and 

 will fight any antagonist without the least regard to 

 size. These beetles are very common at Margate, 

 living in the clefts of the chalk cliffs. I found one of 

 them at the foot of a flight of stone steps, and was ex- 

 ceedingly amused at the manner in which it attacked 

 my stick. It retreated fighting to the very top of the 

 stairs, keeping its front well to the enemy, and acting 

 on the offensive as well as the defensive whenever it 

 found a chance. These are useful beetles to the 

 gardener, as they feed upon many injurious insects, 

 and I rather fancy that the unfortunate individual 

 which was caught by the chisel had found its way under 

 the bark as much for the sake of food as of shelter. 



Having thus examined the willow trees, I ascended 

 the hill and turned the chisel upon the stumps of the 

 fir trees. These were, as I thought they would be, 

 very prolific in insect life. In all cases I began by 

 gently removing the outer bark, and in the first stump 



