200 NATURE-STUDY 



flying insect, often found in great swarms in early summer. 

 It has a short, fat body. The abdomen is covered with 

 two stiff, hard, concave wing cases, which are really modi- 

 fied wings, the iirst pair. They serve not so much for flight 

 as for protection in general, and to cover the delicate under- 

 wings. The hind pair of wings are tucked away under the 

 wing cases, and are folded first lengthwise and then crosswise. 



Fig. 6i. Cecropia-moth Just Out of Cocoon. 



It is the outer pair of hard wings that gives this order the name 

 '^oleoptera. 



Beetles have mouths much Hke those of locusts, and the 

 mandibles (jaws) are especially strong and large. They 

 feed on a great variety of food. Some are carnivorous, and 

 some eat various parts of plants. 



The young stage of the beetle is called the grub. That of 

 the June-beetle is known as the Common Grub-worm. It is 

 the fat, white, fleshy larva, the kind used for fishing, found in 



