18 
insects; though in some species the segments of 
the abdomen are soldered together, so that they are 
not all visible. 
Besides the nine 
principal seg- 
ments, there are 
one or two small- 
er and less con- 
spicuous terminal 
onesay  uhemfect 
(or tarsi) in bee- 
tles may have 3, 
4, or 5 joints. 
There are more 
than 100,000 spe- 
cies of beetles 
known, of which 
3,000 inhabit 
England. We 
have given illu- 
strations of se- 
veral of the prin- 
cipal European 
families. 
Fam. I. Cicindelidae. (Tiger-Beetles.) These are 
carnivorous beetles, with sharp strong jaws, long slender 
legs, filiform antenne, and five-jointed tarsi. Their larvee 
liveamong sand in burrows, and suck the juices ofinsects. 
Fig. n. The Green Tiger-Beetle (C2cendela 
campestris) has green elytra with white markings, 
and the legs and undersurface of = /~~/7 “Za S. 



the body are coppery. It runs | 
and flies very rapidly. An allied © 
species (C. hybrida) is brown, - 
with a greenish lustre, and more 
extended white spots on the 
elytra. 
Fam. IL. 
resemble the Czcézdelid@ in structure but their legs 
are shorter, and they are less active. In the typical 
genus Carabus, the head is small, the elytra convex, 
and the wings absent. These beetles, like many 
others, generally discharge an acrid fluid when touched. 
Fig. 1. The Gold-Beetle (Cavabus auratus) is 
bright golden-green, with reddish brown legs. It is 
a very predacious insect, 
and though common on 
the continent, is not indi- 
genous in England. There 
are however, several common 
British species of Carabus, 
one of which, C. xemoralis, 
is of a bronzy colour, with 
the thorax and elytra border- els 
ed with violet. The elytra got aes 
are finely and longitudinally wrinkled. 
It is found 
at the edges of woods under moss and leaves, or 
running at the foot of walls. 
Calosoma  sycophanta, 
which feeds on larve and 
pupz more frequently than 
on perfect insects, is one of 
the handsomest of the Euro- 
pean ground-beetles, but ° is 
very rare in England. It is 
metallic green, with the elytra 
varying in lustre. It is much 
broader than a Caradus, and 
has fully developed wings. 
Fig.m. Asmaller species, 
not uncommon in oak-woods, is C. zzguzsttor, in 



which the body is broad and nearly quadrangular ; 
it is dark coppery above, and green beneath. 
The Bombadier 
Beetle (Brachinus cre- 
pitans) has dark blue 
elytra and a red thorax. 
It is found under stones, 
and when disturbed, it 
emits a fluid, which 
volatilises into smoke 
explosion. 
Many of the smaller Caraéizd@, such as the 
species of /eronza, are found under stones and among 
dead leaves and moss in damp shady 
places. /. metallica, which is ge- 
nerally met with in mountainous 
districts, is coppery brown, with 
metallic green and very finely punc- 
tured elytra. The legs and palpi | 
are reddish brown. z 
Amara is a very similar genus. The species are 
convex, with the thorax slightly narrowed in front. 
The legs are rather stout, and there 
is a spine at the end of the front 
tibiae. A. communis is bronzy, with 
brown legs. 
Family If. Dytiscide. 
Beetles.) These beetles and 
their larve live in water, and 
feed on insects, water-mol- 
luscs &c., and even cause 
much destruction to young 
fish. One of the commonest 
species, Dytiscus marginalts, 
is greenish black, with the 
thorax and elytra bordered 
with yellow. 
Family Il.  Gyrinide. 
(Whirligig Beetles.) These, 
though smaller than the species of Dytzscus, are almost 
equally destructive, and may 
often be seen gyrating on the sur- 
face of the water. G. xatator is 
blue-black, with the legs, and 
margins of the elytra rust-colour- 
ed. It is oval,and about a quarter 
of an inch long. It is represent- 
ed magnified, with its larva, in 
the accompanying woodcuts. 
Family V. The Hydrophilide are another 
family of water-beetles, in which the body is smooth 
and oval, and the antenne are short and clavate. 
The larvae are carnivorous. but the beetles feed 
chiefly on water-plants. 
Fig. p. The Great Water-Beetle (Hydrophilus 
piceus) is shining black, with reddish-brown antenne. 
It lives in stagnant water, but flies about in the 
evening. It lays its eggs enclosed in a case on the 
underside of a leaf in the water, and its large grey 
larvee swim about in the water in June, just like fish. 
Fam. VI. Staphylinide (Rove-Beetles). : 
These beetles have very short elytra, and 
turn up their abdomen if threatened with 
danger. Most of the species are of small 
or moderate size. One of the largest is 
the common black Devil’s Coach-Horse 
(Ocypus olens). 4 
Family VII. Silphida. Body oval, the tip of the 
abdomen often projecting beyond the elytra; antenna 
clavate. Both the beetles and their larva are very active, 
and feed on decaying animal and vegetable matters 







