BRACHINID^. — BRACHINUS. 35 



ascends, which is found to be most beneficially employed by the 

 animal for its own preservation. In common with the other smaller 

 Geodephaga this insect is obnoxious to the attacks of the larger 

 species, and it has been observed, that when one of the latter makes 

 an assault upon it, that it lies down in the path of its adversary — 

 who advances with expanded jaws ready to devour it — and imme- 

 diately discharges its artillery, as it has not imaptly been termed, 

 which causes the enemy suddenly to draw back in confusion, and 

 the Brachinus conceals itself in some neighbouring crevice, or 

 flies off: the latter method is seldom resorted to. From this mili- 

 tary kind of procedure the Brachini have been called Bombardiers ; 

 and it is stated by Rowlander that they are capable of effecting 

 eighteen or twenty discharges at a time, though, notorious as this 

 fact is, a practical English collector asserts* that the account is 

 little better than a fable and an amusing tale ; but I presume that 

 this author must have laboured under some delusion, or has not 

 paid that attention to the subject, which appears requisite, before 

 attempting to controvert a well-established fact. So far as my ex- 

 perience leads me, I have invariably found that the insects are 

 ready to discharge their ammunition at all times, especially if 

 roughly handled ; and Mr. Cooper informs me, that one he met 

 with at Cobham, in the beginning of the present spring, performed 

 the operation no less than thirteen times in rapid succession. 



Sp. 2. explodens. Ferrugineus ; elytris suhlcevibus nigro-cyaneis 

 antennarum articulo tertio quartoque abdomineque obscuris. (Long, 

 corp. 2i- lin.) 



Br. explodens? Bufts. — Steipli. Catal. No. 38. 



Very similar to the last, but smaller, and the elytra of a deeper hue, with less 

 elevated costse : like Br. crepitans, the antennae have the third and fourth 

 joints spotted with dusky, and the abdomen obscure fuscous : the head, thorax, 

 legs, and antennae, except as above noticed, are bright ferruginous ; the elytra 

 blue-black, with very obsolete ribs, and the abdomen dusky. 



Four specimens, which are evidently distinct from Br. crepitans, 

 and agree pretty accurately with the description of Br. explodens 

 of Duftschmidt, were taken near Southend in April last by the 

 Rev. F. W. Hope, who furnished me with a pair while recent. 



• Vide Millard's Outlines of Brit. Ent. p. 221. 



