THE EEETI.E. 3R.5 



entirely a creeping insect, and is obliged to wait the approaches 

 of her capncioiis companion. The body of the female has 

 eleven joints, with a shield breast-plate, the shape of which is 

 oval ; the head is placed over this, and is very small, and the 



shape, and of a more brilliant goldi-ii-grccn colour, sometimes marked to. 

 wards the lower part of the wing-sheaths by a few transverse whitish 

 streaks. This elegant auiraal is not unooniniou during the hottest part ot 

 summer, frequenting various plants and flowers. The lana or calerpiilnr 

 of the golden beetle is commonly found in the hollows of trees, or amun^ 

 the loose dry soil at their roots, and sometimes in the earth of ant-hills. It 

 remains about three years before it changes to a chrysalis. 



The Stag Beetle is so called from the singular form of its large moveable 

 maxillae, which resemble the horns of a stag. These instruments project 

 from the head nearly one-tliird of the aniuiafs length, and are broad and 

 flat. In the middle, towards the inner part, they have a small branch, and 

 the ends are forked, liliese romantic horns are supported by a head, short, 

 broad, and irregular; the thorax intervening- between it and the body is 

 oarrower than either, and marginated around. The colour of the whole 

 .iniraal is a deep brown, its shells or cases being perfectly plain and un- 

 adorned with either streaks or lines. The female stag beetle is distinguished 

 by having horns not above half as large as those of the male. They arc 

 both, however, armed on the auterior side with small teeth through their 

 whole length. In both the male and female the horns are sometimes as red 

 as coral, which gives the animal a very beautiful appearance. In somn 

 parts of the country these animals are very rare ; their usual residence is 

 the oaJ<. Though here it grows to such a size as to be the largest of all co. 

 leopterous insects in this part of the world, yet in countries where thfl 

 climate is warmer, and the forests more extensive, the stag beetle arrives 

 at a much greater bulk, and possesses uncommon streugth and vigour. In 

 those parts their horns become a formidable offensive weapon, and their bite 

 is dreaded by those who have once experienced its effects. 



The Violet. Beetle is a beautiful insect of an oblong shape, and a dark vio. 

 let colour ; the edges of the cases to the wings and of the thorax are violet, 

 with a shade of piuple. The former are without either dots or streaks, but 

 are marked lengthwise with deep wrinkles. This insect is most commonly 

 found among rotten wood. 



The Elk-horned Stag-chaffer. — The antennae of this insect are elevate 

 with a compressed tip, divided into lamell* on the inner side : the jaws are 

 etretched forwards, e.xserted and toothed. This rare species is a native i> 

 India. 



The Great Stag-beetle. — Tliis is the largest of any insect found in Great 

 Britain, measuring sometimes nearly three inches from the points of itsj.aw 

 to the extremity of its abdomen. Its colour is entirely dark brown, except 

 the jaws, which are sometimes as red as coral, and give it a very beautiful 

 appearance : by these, which somewhat resemble in form the horns of a 

 stag, it is readily distinguished from all other insects. In some parts of ths 

 south of England, these iiisccts are very comnnm in the oak and willow 

 trees, in the stumps or about the branches of which they remain hidden 

 during the day ; flying about and feeding on the leaves only in the evening 



2k.S 



