204 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Elephant-beetle. 



horns are sometimes as red as coral, which gives 

 the animal a very beautiful appearance. 



In some parts of this country these animals 

 are very rare; their usual residence is the oak. 

 Though here it grows to such a size as to be the 

 largest of all the coleopterous insects in this part 

 of the world, yet in countries where the climate 

 is warmer, and the forests more extensive, the 

 stag beetle arrives at a much greater bulk, and 

 possesses uncommon strength and vigour. In 

 those parts their horns become a formidable of- 

 fensive weapon, and their bite is dreaded by 

 those who have once experienced its effects. 



The elephant-beetle nearly resembles the stag- 

 beetle, and is found in South America, particu- 

 larly Guiana and Surinam, as well as about the 

 rivers Oroonoko. It is of a black colour, and 

 the whole body is covered with a very hard shell, 

 full as thick and as strong as that of a small crab. 

 Its length, from the hinder part of the eyes, is 

 almost four inches, and three quarters. The 

 transverse diameter of the body is two inches 

 and a quarter, and the breadth of each elytron, 

 or case for the wings, is an inch and three- tenths. 

 The antennae, or feelers, are quite horny ; for 

 which reason the proboscis, or trunk, is moveable 

 at its insertion into the head, and seems to sup- 

 ply the place of feelers. The horns are eight 

 tenths of an inch long, and terminate in points. 

 The proboscis is an inch and a quarter long, and 



