9 2 



COMMON BRITISH INSECTS. 



The insect is herewith represented of its natural 

 size, showing that, with the exception of the Stag 



Beetle, it is our largest 

 coleopterous insect. A 

 glance at the figure will 

 '.show one of the principal 

 peculiarities of this Beetle, 

 namely, that the palpi far 

 exceed in length the an- 

 tennae, and project in front 

 considerably before those 

 organs. The sexes are 

 easily distinguished by a 

 glance at the antennae, and 

 the tarsi of the first pair of 

 legs. The metasternum 

 terminates in a sharp spine, 

 so long that its point reaches 

 beyond the coxae of the last pair of legs. 



The colour of this Beetle is smooth blackish-olive, 

 the margins of the elytra taking a bluish tinge. The 

 wings themselves are very large, and have a very fine 

 effect when spread. On each of the elytra are eight 

 striae, and the breast is clothed with thick yellow 

 down. The metasternum is developed, as in the 

 Dyticus, into a pointed process, but in this insect the 

 weapon is simply needle-shaped, and is about the 

 size of an ordinary darning-needle. It is black, 

 highly polished, and very sharp. There is much 

 variation in tint in different individuals, but the 

 average hues are as given above. 



The life history of this insect is a very curious 



Hydrous piceus, male. 



