TIGERS OF THE PATHWAYS. 199 



of the habitation in which it abides, departs 

 therefrom never to return. 



From along my pathway as I went up stream 

 this sultry July afternoon there flitted three 

 kinds of oblong beetles, each from one^half to 

 three-fourths of an inch in length. Tiger bee- 

 tles they are called and armed with stout jaws, 

 and the sharpest of beetle eyes and furnished 

 with long and slender legs. Of the 17 species 

 which are known from the State, these three are 

 perhaps most common and have the widest 

 range. One was garbed in brightest green 79 with 

 three small white spots on each of his outer 

 wings; the second in dull purplish brown with 

 here and there a tiny speck of glittering 

 bronze; 80 the third brownish bronze with dull 

 white zigzag bars along the margins of his outer 

 wings. 81 Sand loving beetles they mostly are, 

 found frequently along the borders of streams 

 and lakes ; but these three occurring everywhere 

 on bare stretches and especially along the nar- 

 row cow-paths of our woodland pastures. Here 

 they lie in wait, tiger fashion, for any crawling 

 thing in the insect line which crosses the path- 

 way and suits their fancy. Upon it they pounce, 

 the strong jaws soon finding their way to the 

 blood and soft tissues of its vital parts. Their 

 young or larvae are more bloodthirsty even than 



79 Cicindela sexguttata Fab. ** Cicindela punctulata Oliv. 

 81 Cicindela vulgaris Say. 



