116 Life and Immortality. 
commonest species—the Cicindcla vulgaris of naturalists. 
Go for that one. He sees you as quickly as you see him, 
and is off for a few yards, but suddenly drops to the grass 
from his flight, but always with his head towards the enemy. 
Again and again you start him, but at last, tiring of the chase, 
he takes a longer flight that usual. This is a ruse of his, 
and knowing what it means, you hurry back to where you 
first saw him in time to see him all unsuspectingly alight, 
and you easily take him captive in your toils. Now that you 
have him secure, examine him closely. Watch how savagely 
he moves his mandibles and tries to pinch. You need not 
be afraid, for his bite is inoffensive and not very painful. You 
measure with the eye his size, and you rightly decide that he 
is not much over an inch in length, and scarcely one-fourth 
in breadth. His head you will find very large and brainy, 
his Jaws powerful and long and curved, two scimitar-like 
weapons, which are admirably fitted for cutting and carving 
the quivering bodies of his prey. His eleven-jointed antenne 
are long, slender and graceful. In color his back is dull 
purple, but beneath he is resplendent in a bright brassy green. 
Three whitish, irregular bands adorn his wing-covers. His 
legs, long and slender, are just the things on which to hunt 
the active insects upon which he feeds. 
His next of kin, the Purple Tiger Beetle, is nearly as large 
as he, and often joins him in company. Beautifully robed in 
purple he usually is, but sometimes in a greenish garb 
arrayed. From the outer almost to the inner margin of 
each wing meanders a reddish line, while lower down a dot, 
and still another at the farthest tip of the inner border, 
enhance his beauty. Cold spring days delight him best, and 
he is often seen when snow is yet upon the ground. 
More beautiful by far than either, and no less active, is 
Cicindela sex guttata, or the Six-spotted Tiger Beetle, whose 
dress, a brilliant metallic green, flecked with six small silver 
spots, renders him a pretty sight when you flash the rays of 
light athwart his burnished armor. Hot, June-like days and 
