144 THE TRIMERA. 



indeed, they may justly take a tolerably high place. 

 Both in the larva and perfect states these insects feed 

 with avidity upon the plant-lice or Aphides, whose 

 extraordinary fecundity often renders them most for- 

 midable enemies to vegetation, and against whose 

 attacks we can oppose no remedy which is applicable 

 on a large scale either to horticultural or agricultural 

 purposes. Where the Aphides abound, the Coccinella 

 appear frequently to increase in almost an equal pro- 

 portion, and as the bright red elytra of the common 

 species render them far more conspicuous objects 

 than the little green creatures which in reality do all 

 the mischief, they are often charged by the ignorant 

 with the destruction of crops, and the farmer curses 

 those very friends who are doing all in their power 

 for the protection of his property. Another good 

 quality is attributed to these little beetles, which 

 would certainly raise them highly in our estimation, 

 if it should prove on experiment to be otherwise than 

 imaginary. Like several of the insects of the pre- 

 ceding tribes, they emit a yellow fluid of a disagree- 

 able odour from the joints of the legs when touched 

 or alarmed, and it is said that this, smeared on the 

 fingers and applied to an aching tooth, will give 

 almost instant relief*. 



The common Lady -bird (Coccinella septempunc- 

 tata) and the Two-spotted Lady-bird (C. bipunctatd), 

 which are too well known to need description, may 

 serve as examples of this, the last tribe of Beetles, 

 which is distinguished from all those which precede 

 it by the number of joints in the tarsi being only 



* This is also described as the effect of the fluid discharged 

 by the species of Meloe, by Timarcha l&vigata, and several other 

 beetles. 



