35^ • T;IE GR&UN3 BEETl-E. 



Oenus XXV.—Caralf^is. Ihe Ground Beetle, 



In this family, which contains no lefs than forty-three 

 fpecies, are found fome of tne largeft of the Britijlj in- 

 feiSts. They are chara6lerifed by fetaceous antennae, and 

 by the {hape of the thorax, which refembles a heart ; the 

 point cut off and margined. The elytra are likewifc^ 

 furrotmded with a margin *. 



In their winged ftate, the heads of thefe animals are 

 prominent ; their mouths, like 'hofe of the preceding ge- 

 nus, are arrned with jaws, and four palpt. Their eggs 

 are depofited under ground, or in decayed trees, where 

 fhe larvse refide till they are metamorphofed. It is du- 

 ring their caterpillar (late, that they are prejudicial to 

 gardens, and hence have been ironically called gar- 

 deners by the French j-. It is net, however, vegetable 

 produflions alone that they devour : They are the 

 greatell tyrants to other infe61?, and deftroy indifcrimi- 

 nately, as many as their Ilrength enables tham to over- 

 come. 



Carabus vioiaceus J. This fpecies is of an oblong 

 mape ; the colour a dark violet : The edges of the tho- 

 rax and elytra, are violet with a fhade of purple. The 

 latter have neither dots nor flreaks, but are marked with 

 ilrong longitudinal wrinkles. It is found among rottei?. 

 wood. 



* Syftcma Nat p. 668. f Rcgne Anjmale, p. ^, 



i R,ai Inf. p. 96. n. I. 



