18^ 



(being', 1 believe, then the only entomologist in the colony), and found it a Calosoma. 

 The following year a few more were found, and three or four were also said to have 

 flown into one of the shops in Adelaide at night, atlracled by the oil lights. 



"After this came a lull for a few years, during which this much-prized beetle was 

 rarely seen ; bul in 1851 several were again observed, and in the following year they 

 immensely increased, and appeared to reach in numbers their culminating point, for 

 in 1853 and since they seemed gradually lo decrease again. Last year (1862) they 

 were rather more numerous than usual, and abont two dozen were taken altogether, 

 in the same spots as those of previous years. Tbeir time of appearance is almost 

 always through the month of November, and so strictly is this the case that they are 

 never looked for and seldom seen even a few days before or after that month. On 

 one occasion, however, I found a solitary one a few days before Christmas. 



" The habitat of these beetles has been hitherto exceedingly local, first a few miles 

 north of Adelaide, and since almost confined to the foot of the North Adelaide hills; 

 thence spreading lo the park lauds between them and South Adelaide, and occasionally 

 to adjacent outskirts of the town. I hardly ever heard of their being found anywhere 

 else, though on one occasion I took one myself thirty-two miles north, or six beyond 

 Gawler Town, in a garden. My idea is that once found in North Adelaide and neigh- 

 bourhood, they were retained there by the quantity of cow-dung scattered about, under 

 the drying pieces of which they frequently hide. In the above places they kept almost 

 exclusively to the foot-paths, and were thus at once perceived: these they were seen 

 often crossing briskly enough, bul not so swiftly as to prevent their being easily taken. 

 Occasionally I have perceived one at a distance, standing motionless in the middle of 

 a path, the sunlight playing brilliantly on his polished elytra, and not moving till I was 

 close upon him. They are continually trodden uuder-foot, being considered from their 

 aspect 'venomous'! They evidently avoid the grassy spots, and come out into 'the 

 clearings,' as the weeds and grass seem to incommode them and prevent their 

 walking. I have never in a single instance known them attempt to fly, nor ever 

 observed them on the wing, though they have ample organs for that purpose. 



"These beetles are fond of all damp situations, but still do not like rainy weather, 

 which seems to clog them ; and again the hot weather of December I think but few 

 of them could stand, so the term of their full-fledged existence is but of short 

 duration. Their food, I ibiuk, must be the different kinds of caterpillars about in 

 October and November, and occasionally those naked ones (of the Noctuidse) found 

 under cow-dung, where I have sometimes observed the beetle. They often exude 

 too, when caught, a brown, liquid from their mouths, smelling strongly of stercorarious 

 matters. 



" The larva I have enclosed is one of the larger ones I have taken, shrunk, of 

 course, a little in size: it was probably full grown. I never found any of these 

 larvcE till the year 1852, when the greatest number of the imago was taken ; all were 

 found at the same places as the beetles, at the same time, and nearly all of their full 

 size. These facts are singular, and seem to prove that these insects remain in either 

 the larva or pupa state several years, and then are all perfected at the end of so many 

 years at the same time. I have seen the perfect beetle and full-grown larva together 

 under cow-dung, and on the surface of the ground. The length of the pupa-condition 

 (whose place of rest is, I suppose, beneath the surface of the ground) I know not yet. 

 There has lately been a rumour of these Carabidas being found in the far north (from 

 three to six hundred miles inland), but this has not been authenticated. 



2a 



