56 A NATURE WOOING. 



tives in this country, are commonly known as skip- 

 jacks, spring beetles, snapping beetles or snapping 

 bugs. They are very numerous, both in species and 

 in individuals, and the young of a number of them 

 are injurious, being the wire worms which prey upon 

 the roots of grass, corn, and other cereals. When 

 placed upon their backs all of these beetles have the 

 power of leaping into the air and turning over; 

 whence the common names above mentioned. This 

 power has brought them to the attention of many per- 

 sons who otherwise would have passed them by un- 

 noticed, and much wonder has doubtless been caused 

 as to how the leaping motion was brought about. 

 When the beetle, by accident or otherwise, finds itself 

 on its back, it folds its legs and antennae closely 

 against the body and for a time simulates death. 

 When it thinks the danger is over it bends back the 

 head and pro-thorax as far as possible. This action 

 lifts a spine attached to the hind margin of the pro- 

 sternum (under side of pro-thorax) out of a groove in 

 which it ordinarily rests. This groove is in the front 

 margin of the meso-sternum, and directly beneath the 

 bases of the elytra or outer wings. After withdraw- 

 ing this spine to its full extent, the muscles are sud- 

 denly relaxed, allowing the spine to descend violently 

 into the cavity. The force given by this sudden move- 

 ment causes the bases of the elytra to strike the earth 

 or other substance upon which they rest, and, by 

 their elasticity, the whole body is propelled upward 



