78 INSECTS AT HOME. 



partially iinderground ; and then the servants are always muoh 

 alarmed at the creature, of which they have a dread wliich is 

 superstitious rather than the offspring of mere prejudice or 

 ignorance. 



As its appearance suggests, it is one of the predacious Beetles, 

 and is as fierce and brave as it is voracious. It really seems not 

 to know what fear is, and no enemy seems to frighten it. I 

 once came across one of these Beetles at the foot of the old Clif- 

 ton Baths stairs at ]Margate, and threatened it with the poinf 

 of my stick. The Beetle at once dashed at the stick with open 

 jaws, and fought most valiantly. Of course I did not wish to 

 hurt the insect, so I merely continued the feigned attack, the 

 Beetle retreating with its face to the foe and its jaws wide 

 open, until it had fairly surmounted the whole flight of stairs, 

 invariably turning rotmd as it reached the top of each stair, and 

 making a fresh dash at the stick. It was exceedingly angry, 

 but did not show the least symptom of fear, though I repeatedly 

 struck violently within a few inches of its head. I was so 

 pleased with the dauntless courage of the Beetle, that, when it 

 reached the top, I put it into a deep chalk crevice of the cliff, 

 where it would be safe from the mischievous boys who infest 

 the place. 



This is one of the most active of Beetles. Being furnished, 

 like all its family, with long and ample wings, and not being 

 burdened, like the chafers, with a thick and heavy body, it 

 flies with great rapidity, and can pass over incredible distances 

 without being obliged to rest. It is equally active on the 

 ground, for which reason the generic name of Ocypus, or 

 ' swift-footed,' has been given to it. Some writers on entomo- 

 logy have given to this insect the generic name of Goerius^ 

 or ' mom-nful,' in consequence of its sombre and funereal 

 colouring. The specific title olens, or ' stinking,' is given to 

 it in consequence of the horrible emanations from the tail 

 tubercles. 



We Avill now glance at the life history of this Beetle, which, 

 ill spite of its ugliness, is really a very interesting one. 



The eggs of all the Staphylinidae are large in proportion to 

 the creature which produces them, but those of the Devil's 

 Coach-horse are larger than those of the largest British insect, 

 beiniif one-tenth of an inch in length and one-twelfth broad. 



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