INSECTS. 



JfN*— y. 



Earwig. 



Stag Beetle. 



House Spider. 



The Cantharis, or Blister Beetle, is the animal of which are made cantharicles, popularly called Spanish 

 Flies, which are employed by physicians in raising blisters, as well as otherwise. These creatures have 

 feelers like bristles, flexible wing-cases, and wrinkled sides to the belly. They vary from each other in 

 size, shape, and color, the length in England being about an inch and the circumference the same. 

 They are all brilliantly beautiful, being, variously, azure or gold-colored, or a mixture of the two. 



They are chiefly natives of Italy, Spain, and Portugal, but also found about Paris. Their scent is 

 extremely offensive, and furnishes guidance to those in quest of them. 



To prepare the cantharides, the animals are caught, and tied up in a bag, and then killed with the vapors 

 of hot vinegar ; after which they are dried in the sun, and deposited in boxes. They are now ready 

 for use. 



The Scorpion has an elongated body, somewhat resembling a lobsters, terminated by a. long, slender tail 

 of six joints, the last of which forms a pointed sting, whence is ejected a poisonous fluid, secreted by 

 small glands, and collected in a bladder near the tail. They have eight legs, the two hindmost supplied 

 with forceps, with which they seize their insect prey. 



The Stag Beetle is the largest of British insects. While in the main particulars of its structure, 

 resembling the other varieties of its class, it is distinguished from them by what are called its jaws, two 

 enormous quarto-circular projections from the fore part of its head, toothed on the inner edge like a comb, 

 or rather, like a saw, two of these teeth on each projection being, perhaps, four times the length of the 

 rest. And yet, though so formidably armed, it is a harmless creature, and uses this fearful-looking instru- 

 ment only to break the tender bark of trees, that the sap it feeds upon may exude. Its mouth is very 

 small, and is supplied with a brush, with which it licks up the food. During the winter it hides in the 

 earth, making for itself a cave very smooth inside. 



The Earwig is thus named from the fable of its entering the brain by the ear and causing death. It 

 ■abounds in cool, and in damp places, collecting in troops under stones, and on the bark of trees. They are 

 very injurious to ripe fruits, and even devour their dead companions. Their limbs are suited only for 

 running; their wings, which are large, and plaited like a fan, are folded transversely under very short, 

 crustaceous wing-cases. They are said to sit upon their eggs, hatch them, and then tend their young with 

 apparent affection, and gather them under their wings, as the hen does her chickens. 



Butterfly 

 (857} 



Rhinoceros Beetle 



Butterfly. 



