FLIGHT OF THE WATER BEETLE. 51 



and the others are at the end of slender footstalks, 

 looking something like the 'patera ' champagne glasses 

 with the stems much attenuated. 



The female is, as has been stated, very different 

 from the male in appearance. She does not possess 

 the wide tarsi which are so conspicuous in her mate. 

 The elytra are very different from those of the male, 

 and, instead of being smooth and polished, are deeply 

 grooved nearly as far as the middle. 



The voracity of this Beetle is really astonishing. 

 It will eat almost any kind of insect, or any kind of 

 meat, raw or cooked, preferring the former. Some- 

 times it is placed in fresh-water aquaria by those who 

 are not acquainted with its powers, and the result is 

 always disastrous. Not only will it attack every 

 living creature in the aquarium, but during the night 

 it is sure to take to its wings and fly off in search of 

 more food. Even gold fish have been attacked by 

 this insatiate devourer, which does not even spare 

 its own kind, and devours the opposite sex as well as 

 its own. When these Beetles take flight from the 

 pond or stream in which they have been living, they 

 always crawl up a reed or a water-plant, so as to gain 

 space to spread their beautiful wings. In consequence 

 of this freedom of locomotion, this Beetle may be found 

 in almost any pond, however small it may be. Even 

 when ponds have been reduced to mere puddles by 

 the drought of summer, the Dyticus may be found 

 plentifully, hiding itself in the still soft mud. 



The mode in which this insect breathes is really 

 wonderful. Being an insect, it is forced to breathe 

 atmospheric air, and yet it has to pass the greater 



