60 BEETLES, &C.—COLEOPTERA, &c. 



bronze-green thorax and is about three eighths of an inch 

 long. At Bala and Tal-y-Cafn it abounds, in the Vale of 

 Festiniog the red Cowdung Beetle (Aphodius foetens) 

 is known as a " Coch-y-bonddu " and it certainly answers 

 the description of " black and red " at least as well as 

 the first named, neither of these, however are the button- 

 shaped beetle described by some authors as a "Coch-y- 

 bonddu " the Chrysomela and Cocinnella however tally 

 to this description and are red and black. The only way 

 to dispel the confusion once and for all is to dress exact 

 imitations of each species or think of Coch-y-bonddu 

 simply as a typical dressing of any red and black beetle. 

 On the type plate are given the principal " red and 

 and black " beetles. 



The fact that nature provides so exact a counter- 

 part of the elytra of the Soldier Beetle, in the tippet 

 feather of the golden pheasant, seems to have escaped 

 the notice of most. We have taken fish after fish with 

 this imitation when the conditions were distinctly 

 unfavourable to sport — being too bright and calm. 



One of the first trout I ever caught was taken from a 

 small stream — more years ago than I care to remem- 

 ber. Going out fishing without bait I began grubbing 

 in a meadow to find some, all that came to hand 

 being two or three small Cowdung beetles. Putting 

 one on, I crawled to the brink and dropped it cautiously 

 in at the head of a stream, where it was instantly seized 

 by a lusty half-pounder, which, after a brief struggle, 

 was ignominiously swung on to the bank. Such an 

 experience makes one greet these small beetles as friends 

 whenever they come under notice. The capture of 

 trout in those days was like " angels' visits " — few 

 and far between. 



