jo6 STRANGE DWELLINGS. 



larger than . those which compose the abdomen, and the head 

 itself is small, but armed with a pair of jaws that remind the 

 observer of wire nippers, so sharp are their edges, and so stout 

 is their make. Old posts and rails are favourite localities with 

 this beetle, and the grubs can almost always be obtained where 

 timber has been left for any length of time in the open air. 



Another well-known boring-beetle, is the large and beautiful 

 insect which is popularly called the Musk Beetle {Cerambyx 

 moscJiatus). Nearly an inch in lengtli, with long and gracefully- 

 curved antennae, and slender and elegant in shape, it would 

 always command attention, even if it were not possessed of two 

 remarkable characteristics, colour and perfume. 



To the naked eye, and in an ordinary light, the colour of this 

 beetle is simply green, very much like that of the malachite. 

 But, when the sun shines upon its elytra, some indications of its 

 true beauty present themselves, not to be fully realised without 

 the aid of the microscope and careful illumination. If a part 

 of an elytron be taken from a Musk Beetle, placed under a half- 

 inch object glass, and viewed through a good binocular micro- 

 scope, by means of concentrated light, the true glories of this 

 magnificent insect become visible. The general colour is green, 

 but few can describe the countless shades of green, gold, and 

 azure, that are brought out by tlie microscope, and no pencil 

 can hope to give more than a faint and dull idea of the wonderful 

 object. Neither do its beauties end with its colours, for the 

 whole structure of the insect is full of wonders, and from the 

 compound eyes to the brush-soled feet, it affords a series of 

 objects to the microscopist, which will keep him employed for 

 many an hour. 



The odour which it exudes is extremely powerful ; so strong, 

 indeed, that I have often been attracted by the well-known 

 perfume as I walked along a tree-fringed wood, and, after a 

 little search, discovered the insect. It is no easy matter to find 

 the Musk Beetle, even when it is close at hand, for its slender 

 body lies so neatly along the twigs, and its green colour harmo- 

 nizes so well with the leaves, that a novice will seldora distin- 



