34 COMMON BRITISH INSECTS. 



the case. They are, however, much too small to be 

 used for flight The mandibles have a small tooth in 

 the middle, and the labial palpi have the last joint 

 ' securiform,' or axe-shaped. The thorax is somewhat 

 heart-shaped, and has the posterior angles boldly 

 marked. In the male the tarsi of the first pair of legs 

 are broader than in the female. 



Thirteen British species of Carabus are known, 

 one of which is represented on page 23, in the act of 

 chasing the Brachinus. It is the Carabus wonilis, a 

 common and very handsome insect. It is exceedingly 

 variable in colour, and slightly so in marking, but 

 may be described as follows : The head is black, 

 with bronze or green reflections, wrinkled in front, 

 and there is a deep hollow on each side just between 

 the antennae. The thorax is wrinkled at the hinder 

 angles and deeply notched behind, and its colour is 

 deep copper. The elytra are metallic green or violet, 

 and sometimes entirely green. Each elytron is 

 marked with three rows of raised striae, broken regu- 

 larly at intervals, or ' interrupted/ to use the scientific 

 term, and between them are three ridges which are 

 not broken. The line along the suture is black, and 

 the under side of the insect is dull black. 



This Beetle is common in gardens, and, like the 

 rest of its kin, ought to be encouraged and protected, 

 as it feeds almost entirely on the smaller insects, and 

 never meddles with the vegetables. 



Another very good example is Carabus violaceus, 

 one of the commonest and largest of the genus. It 

 sometimes exceeds an inch in length. Its colour is 

 rather remarkable. At first sight it appears to be a 



