26o 



THE NATURE BOOK 



wings. Its hind-legs possess jx^werful 

 muscles, by means of which it makes its 

 extraordinary vanishing leaps just as one 

 attempts to capture it. The insect is 

 common everywhere. There is also a 



]iarcntly, than that one has driven or 

 cycled beneath him. He falls like a stone, 

 and as he lies on his horny back, his legs 

 strike out in all directions ; but take 

 care, if you attempt to pick him up. 



THE STAG BEETLE. 

 The largest British Beetle. 



much more handsome species known as 

 the Scarlet Hopper (Cercopis sanguino- 

 lenta) which is frequently seen in gardens. 

 This insect has its wing-covers coloured 

 scarlet and black, and is larger than the 

 common Frog-Hoi:)j:)er. 



On this page another conspicuous insect 

 is shown that can scarcely be placed 

 amongst beautiful insects. The Stag 

 Beetle {Liicamts ccrviis) is familiar in the 

 soutlicrn counties after midsummer. It 

 is the largest of British beetles, and the 

 male insect is a l^lundering, clumsy fellow. 

 As he flies along country lanes, he often 

 comes to grief, for no otlier reason, ap- 



to avoid his large and strong mandibles, 

 for he sometimes bites severely. The 

 female beetle has not the large jaws of 

 the male, but do not let this fact en- 

 courage anyone to trust her either, for, 

 although her mandibles are not so large 

 and awe-inspiring, yet they are shar])er 

 and meet more closely, and consequently 

 her bite is worse than that of the 

 male. The function of these large and 

 strong mandibles is that of abrading 

 the young branches of trees and other 

 vegetable substances, as a means of 

 reaching their juices. It is in its larval 

 state, however, that this insect is most 



