56 PRACTICAL CARP CULTURE. 



weather, and then for the purpose of making excursions to other locali- 

 ties. The body is of a greenish black color, encircled with a brownish 

 yellow band this feature giving it its name. When taken from the 

 water it exudes a milky fluid of a most offensive and disgusting odor. 

 The hind legs are shaped very much like those of the boat-fly, and serve 

 the same purpose. The beetle is very courageous, attacking fish of any 

 size, as large ones have been caught, into whose flesh the beetle had eaten 

 large holes, the beetle itself found in the hole hard at work eating up the 

 fish. The larva, which is produced twice within the same season, lives 

 and grows upon tadpoles and young fish. 



When of sufficient size, and the proper time has arrived, it changes 

 into a pupa, which in turn, becomes the perfect beetle. (See illustration. 



THE BLACK WATER BEETLE. 



(Hydrophyllus piceus.) 



As the name indicates, this beetle is black, shining with a rich, purple 

 lustre. (See illustration.) It is of larger size than the preceding, and 

 strong in proportion. 



THE BLACK WATER BEETLE. 



The beetle itself is a vegetarian, and as such, is not directly dangerous 

 to the fish, its larva, however, is voracious without limit, destroying all 

 that comes in its way. 



The female of this species spins a white cocoon around the posterior 

 portion of its body, with the aid of its hind legs, the cocoon, when com- 

 pleted, being the size of a hazel nut. In this it deposits its eggs, and after 

 closing it carefully, fastens it to a floating leaf, adding to it a little pro- 

 jecting point on the top, which by the way resembles a small mast, retires 

 to the water underneath and mounts guard. After a few days the young 

 grubs make their appearance, at first resembling little whitish worms, but 

 possessing six legs near the yellow head. 



It is by the motion of these legs that the grub is propelled through the 

 water, continually on the search for something to eat. When at rest on a 

 water-plant, the head with its fearful apparatus, formed of a strong 

 pincher with two pair of adjuncts, which can be moved in any direction, 

 is placed in such a deceiving position as to almost always lure aa unsus- 

 pecting little fish, tadpole or insect, within its reach. 



