CONTENTS. IX 



and Number of the Cells.— Biography of a Queen Wasp, and History of her Nest. 

 —Other British Wasps and their Homes.— The Monedrila and its Prey.— Bold- 

 ness of the Insect, and its Uses to Travelers.— The Bembex.— Its energetic Hab- 

 its, its Food, and Mode of storing the Nest Va S Q uo 



CHAPTER VIII. 



BURROWING BEETLES. 

 The Tiger Beetle and its Habits.— Beauty of the Insect, its Larva, and Mode of 

 Life. — Curious Form of its Burrow. — The Sexton Beetle and its Power of 

 digging in the Ground. —The Dor Beetle — its polished Surface, and the Sub- 

 stances in which it Burrows. — Use of the Dor Beetle. — The Scarab^us of 

 Egypt and its wonderful Instincts.— The Egg, the Grub, and the Cocoon.— Co- 

 coon in the British Museum. — The Mole-cricket, its Form and elaborate 

 Dwelling.— Its general Habits and wide Distribution.— The Field-cricket and 

 its Tunnels. — Structure of the Ovipositor. — The Migratory Locust and its 

 Development. — The Ant-lion, its Form, Food, and Mode of Life. — The Pitfall 

 and its Structure. — Mode of catching Prey. — Perfect Form of the Ant-lion.. 169 



CHAPTER LX. 

 WOOD-BORING INSECTS. 

 Beetles.— The usual Form of the Wood-borers.— The Scolttus and its Ravages. 

 — Mode of forming the Tunnels. — Curious Instinct. — Theories respecting the Scol- 

 ytus. — Worm-eaten Furniture, its Cause, and the best Method of checking the 

 Boring Insects.— Ginger and Cork Borers.— The "Petrified" Man. — The Meal- 

 worm and its Ravages. — Weevils. — The Palm Weevil of Jamaica. — Its Devel- 

 opment, and Uses as an Edible. — Its Cocoons. — The Wasp Beetle, its Shape, 

 Colors, and tunneling Powers. — The Musk Beetle. — Its Beauty and Fragrance. 

 — Difficulty of detecting the Musk Beetle. — Its Burrows and their Inmates. — 

 The Rhagium and its Cocoon. — The Harlequin Beetle. — Wood-boring Bees. — 

 Willow Bee, its Tunnel, and Mode of making the Cells. — Food of the Young. 

 — The Poppy Bee. — The Pith-boring Bees and their Habits. — Structure of the 

 Cells and Escape of the Young. — Economy of Labor. — Shell-nesfs of Bees. — 

 Wonderful adaptation to Circumstances. — How the Bee burrows. — The Hoop- 

 shaver Bee. — Gilbert White's Description of its Habits. — The Sirex and its 

 Burrow. — Its Ravages among Fig-trees. — Formidable Aspect of the Insect. — The 

 two British Species. — Carpenter Bee. — Mode of making its Burrow. — Method- 

 ical Labor. — Food of the Young. — How to make a Ceiling. — Number of Cells in 

 each Burrow. — The Carpenter Bee of Australia. — The Pelop.eus as a Wood- 

 borer. — Its Tunnel, and Mode of making Cells. — The Saperda. — Damage caused 

 to Aspen and other Trees. — A useful Parasite. — The Goat Moth. — Wood-leopard 

 Moth. — Clear-wings and Honey-comb Moths 186 



CHAPTER X. 

 PENSILE MAMMALIA. 



TnE Harvest-mouse — its Appearance. — Reason for its Name. — Mouse Nests. — 

 Home of the Harvest-mouse. — A curious Problem. — Food of the Harvest-mouse, 

 and its Agility. — The Squirrel. — Its summer and winter "Cage." — Boldness 

 of the Squirrel. — Materials for the Nest, and their Arrangement 213 



