94 THE BRACHELYTRA. 



others again are inhabitants of the open ground, where 

 they usually conceal themselves during the day under 

 stones and clods of earth, and sally forth at night in 

 search of their food. 



The latter is the mode of life preferred by one of 

 the largest, most abundant, and most characteristic 

 of the British species of the group, the Ocypus olens, 

 which is well known to most people by the name of 

 the Cock-tail, from the habit which it possesses, in 

 common with most of its allies, of throwing up the 

 abdomen when alarmed or irritated. The ordinary 

 length of this beetle is about an inch, but specimens 

 may be met with measuring upwards of an inch and 

 a quarter. Its colour is entirely a deep dull black ; 

 its head is very large, considerably wider than the 

 thorax, and its mouth is armed with a pair of mandi- 

 bles of most formidable strength and acuteness. When 

 irritated or threatened with capture, the Cock-tail 

 throws up his tail in the manner above mentioned, 

 and at the same time, as if fully aware of the formi- 

 dable nature of his jaws, raises the fore part of his 

 body as much as the length of his fore legs will per- 

 mit, and opens his mandibles to their full extent, as 

 if determined to resist his enemy to the uttermost ; 

 his appearance, when in this attitude, gives one the 

 idea of the most diabolical ferocity, and has no doubt 

 had a good deal to do in procuring for him the name 

 of the Devil's Coach-horse, which I remember in my 

 school-boy days was the attractive appellation by 

 which he was commonly known. As an additional 

 means of defence, this beetle is furnished with a pair 

 of small white vesicles, which he protrudes from the 

 extremity of his tail whenever he sees occasion for 

 assuming a defensive attitude, and these appear to be 



