A STRANGE LARVA. 19 



In former times, the variety in the number of spots 

 was thought to indicate that the Beetles belonged to 

 different species, but it is now decisively ascertained 

 that they are only varieties of one single species. 



If the wing-cases be opened, and the broad mem- 

 branous wings spread, the upper surface of the 

 abdomen is seen to be deep shining blue, very much 

 like the colour of the ordinary ' blue-bottle ' fly. As 

 the Beetle darts through the air in the sunshine, the 

 light glitters on the burnished blue surface, a circum- 

 stance which has earned for the Beetle the popular 

 name of Sparkler. 



One peculiarity of this insect is the strong but 

 pleasing scent which it emits. I well remember the 

 first time that I saw and captured this Beetle. It 

 was on a sandy bank in Bagley Wood, near Oxford, 

 and I could not for some time guess the origin of the 

 pleasant, sweet-briar sort of scent which 

 clung to my hands. For some time I 

 thought that I must have grasped some 

 fragrant herb, and it was not until I had 

 taken the Beetles out of the box (where, 

 by the way, nearly one half had been 

 killed and partly eaten by the other half) 

 that I discovered the real source of the 

 perfume. 



With all the Tiger Beetles, the larva 

 is an odd-looking grub, with a pair of 

 enormous, sickle-shaped jaws, and a sort ckmdeia, 

 of hump on the middle of the back. tima 

 These larvae make perpendicular burrows in the 

 ground, and lie in wait for passing insects. Sand- 



c 2 



