112 NATURAL HISTORY. 



1. VORACIOUS BEETLES. 



Their bodies are long and flat ; the wing covers crus- 

 taceous ; the head is broad, with protruding jaws and 

 thread-like antennae ; the legs or tarsi are mostly five- 

 jointed. 



The Red-footed Beetle (tachinus rufipes)* is about 

 a line in length, black ; the posterior portion of the 

 body hairy ; feet and anterior of a brown-red. Found 

 in decayed mushrooms. 



The Club Bearer (claviger testaceus) is a small in- 

 sect, three fourths of a line in length ; light brown. 

 These little creatures are always found in anthills, 

 where they live in great amity with the busy little 

 emmets, which cherish these minute creatures tender- 

 ly. The reason of this friendship, it is said, is, that a 

 certain juice exudes from their small and hirsute bodies 

 on which the ants feed. 



The Black or Rove Beetle (staphylinus olens), plate 

 22, fig. 4, is one inch long, three tenths of an inch 

 broad; black, with brown wings, and is found every- 

 where ; in manured fields, wherever there is ordure, or 

 upon decaying animal substances ; it is very bold, and 

 seizes iipon everything that comes in its way. 



The Bombardier (brachinus crepitans), one inch long, 

 three lines broad; the posterior portion of the body 

 rather square than round ; of a fulvous orange ; the 

 third and fourth joints are black ; the elytra blue-black 

 or green. It is found under stones, and receives its 

 name from its explosive powers, for, if held between the 

 fingers, it ejects a caustic fluid secreted by organs within 



* Or Mushroom Beetle. 



