278 SUPPLEMENT ON THE CARNIVOROUS FAMILY 



Reaumur has given us the history of the larvae of one 

 species, the Carahus Sycophanta of Linnaeus, which lives in 

 the nest of the processionary caterpillars, and is their most 

 redoubtable enemy. The caterpillar, which it attacks and 

 pierces through the belly, writhes, agitates, torments itself, 

 and uses every endeavour to escape to no purpose. The per- 

 tinacious sycophant never abandons it until it is entirely 

 devoured. The largest caterpillar is insufficient to support 

 it for a day. It kills and eats several of them in the course 

 of the same day, and when gluttony has rendered it incapa- 

 ble of moving, it is attacked by other larvae of its own 

 species, which are yet young and rather small, which pierce 

 its belly and eat it, although there is no deficiency of cater- 

 pillars for them to prey upon. 



This species, and the Calosoma Inquisitor, are to be found 

 in the neighbourhood of Paris. They usually remain on 

 trees, and principally upon oaks, where they give chase to the 

 different insects on which they feed. It appears that both, 

 even in the perfect state, principally attack caterpillars. 



In his grand work on the Coleoptera, Olivier has not en- 

 deavoured to define the limits of the genus Carabus of 

 Linnaeus and Fabricius; but he has remarked that many 

 species present, in regard to the organs of manducation, some 

 important differences ; and he cites, as an example, the Cara- 

 hus Spinibarbis on which M. Latreille has founded his 



genus POGONOPHOBUS. 



These insects, though of the same family as the Manti- 

 coroe, should not be confounded with these last carnivorous 

 coleoptera, as they have been by M. M. Jurine and Panzer. 

 They are even widely removed from them in a natural series, 

 and properly come in the place assigned them in the text. 



They are particularly found in spring, under the barks of 

 old trees, about the trunk. But a small number of species 

 are known, all belonging to Europe, and of small size. 



