A TOUyG NATURALIST. 97 



hurt you. Many of the Carabus family, when they are 

 caught, try to defend themselves by throwing out a corro- 

 sive liquid ; others make a report, accompanied by smoke, 

 which has given them their name of bombardier? 



" What do they find to eat under the bark, in which they 

 must lead a very gloomy life?" 



" Larvae and caterpillars ; they are, therefore, more useful 

 than injurious." 



"To what order of insects do they belong?" 



"To the Coleoptera order, because they have four wings, 

 the largest of which, called elytra, are more or less hard, 

 and justify their name* by encasing the two other wings, 

 which are membranous and folded crosswise. The cock- 

 chafer, you know, is one of this order." 



A fresh piece of bark revealed to us two scorpions with 

 enormous bellies, and heads so small as to be almost imper- 

 ceptible ; all they did was to stiffen out their tails, which 

 are composed of six divisions, the last terminating in an ex- 

 tremely slender barb. 



" Oh, what horrid creatures !" cried Lucien, starting back ; 

 " if it wasn't for their light color, you might take them for 

 prawns with their heads cut off." 



" Yes, if you didn't examine them too closely. I suppose 

 you will be very surprised when I tell you that they are al- 

 lied to the spider tribe." 



" I should never have suspected it. Are they dead, then, 

 for they do not move ?'" 



" Insects belonging to this order are very slow and lazy 

 in their movements. They are found under most kinds of 

 bark ; therefore I advise you to take care when searching 

 through it." 



" Should I die if I w,ere stung?" 



* Elytra is derired from a Greek word, i/.i-rpov, a sheath. 

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