^0 CURIOSITIES OF ENTOMOLOGY. 



sometimes more than a foot deep, according to the nature of 

 the earth in which it is formed, which is generally sand. 

 When complete, they climb to the mouth of the tunnel, making 

 their broad flat head, which they cover with sand, form a kind 

 of trap-door to this treacherous oubliette. They sustain them- 

 selves in the desired position by means of two hook-like 

 appendages, till a small insect passes over the living trap-door 

 concealed by a treacherous layer of sand, when the larva 

 immediately allows itself to drop to the bottom of the burrow, 

 followed of course by the tumbling victim, who is speedily 

 devoured. If the insect passing over the trap is too large to 

 fall readily into the tunnel, it is seized as it passes, and 

 dragged forcibly down to its destruction in the dark pitfall. 

 Nothing is known of thelarvse of exotic Cicindela, but Latreille 

 considers that in all probability they resemble, both in form 

 and habits, those of the European species. The female of 

 C. campestris may be distinguished from the male by the 

 presence of two additional buff spots. C. Germanica is another 

 British species, and also C. hybrida, of which last there is a 

 specimen in the collection of the Linnaean Society, with the 

 name in the handwriting of Linn sens himself. 



Cidndella Chinensis (Fig. 7), an exquisitely beautiful species, 

 is one of the most common insects of the tea-growing districts, 

 and is often found in chests of tea imported into this country. 

 It is a curious fact that, while none of the tropical species 

 materially surpass our own either in form or colour, this 

 remarkably handsome insect, inhabiting a climate very similar 

 in general temperature to our own, far exceeds our C. campestris 

 both in size and beauty. Our representation will give a fair 

 general idea of the beauty of this finest of the exotic Cicin- 

 delidce, but no painting can perfectly imitate the richness and 

 at the same time the extreme delicacy of its colouring. 

 Exquisitely clouded markings of deep purple, rich in tone 

 and texture as tinted velvet, form the chief feature of the 

 colouring ; these masses of purple shading off at the edges 

 into the rich apple-green which forms the general ground, 

 the green becoming in places nearly a silvery azure, and this 

 green ground being again varied by conspicuous marks of 



