SUN BEETLES, 43 



protection, inasmuch as it is very far preferable to the cock- 

 roach. This is the only British representative of the genus. 



On Woodcut II. Fig. 5, is represented the Beetle called 

 Calathus cisteloides. The members of this genus can be known 

 by th-e triangular head, the peculiarly-shaped thorax, and the 

 elliptical elytra. The mandibles are toothed at the base. The 

 colour of this insect is black, with a slight gloss in the male, 

 and quite dull in the female. The triangular head has a pit 

 on either side of the antennae, the thorax is wrinkled on the 

 disc, and on either side of the base is a deep impression. The 

 elytra are rather convex and covered with shallow striae, on 

 which are faint punctures. The wings are undeveloped. 



This is a very common Beetle, and is one of the wet-lovers, 

 being generally found along the bottoms of damp hedges, under 

 heaps of stones, and similar localities. Eight British species 

 of Calathus are acknowledged by entomologists. 



"VVe now come to the pretty little Beetles that are ranked 

 under the generic title of Anchomenus. All these insects have 

 an elongated thorax, the head egg-shaped, and the antennae 

 with the third joint twice as long as the second. 



They are very active, and very brilliantly coloured, and, like 

 most bright-coloured Beetles, love the sunshine, in which they 

 dart about with exceeding rapidity. The popular name of 

 Sun Beetle is given to these and other insects, in consequence 

 of this peculiarity. They are sociable little creatures, and, 

 when one is seen, others are tolerably sure to be close at hand. 

 Some of them frequent wet and marshy places, and may gene- 

 rally be found at the roots of willows that are planted at the 

 water-side. 



One example of this interesting ge-nus is Anchomenus dor- 

 salis, which is shown, rather magnified, on Woodcut IV. Fig. 1. 

 The real length of the insect can be known by reference to the 

 line that is drawn on its right side. In this species the head 

 and thorax are dark-green, and the flattened elytra are pale 

 rust-red, diversified with a large spot of blue-black towards 

 the apex, but not quite reaching the tip. They are striated, 

 and the interstices between the striae are flat and smcoth, 

 without any punctures. Beneath, it is shining black. 



