64 



ZOOLOGY 



\ 



a capacity of which they make use in the capture of hving 

 and especiallj' of flying prey such as flies. Their powerful 

 jaws ai'e long and sharp, and so they arc well adapted for seiz- 

 ing and holding fast their 

 victims. The larvae are 

 elongated, hunchbacked 

 creatures, with a huge 

 head armed with long 

 jaws. They live in ver- 

 FiG. 60. -Three common species of Ck-in- tical burrows, generally 



dela, the tiger-beetle. Lett, red-copper jj-^ ^|-^p vicinity of Water, 

 bronze; middle, brown, with yellow marlc- 



ings; right, bright green, cream-colored With their head.S close 



markings. From Packard. ^^ ^j^^, entrances of their 



burrows they lie in wait for their prey. 



The second family of the running beetles includes the ground- 

 beetles (Carab'idifi'j. This family is composed of al)out ten 

 tliousand species, of extremely 

 variefl form, size, and coloration. 

 Most of them are of a shiny black 

 color, usually with ridges or rows 

 of points running along the elytra 

 (Fig. 660). They are, for the most 

 part, darkness-lovers and contact- 

 lovers, and so occupy a very dif- 

 ferent place in nature from that of 

 the tiger-beetles. During the day- 

 time they are concealed under- 

 neath boards and stones, penetrat- 

 ing into the narrowest crevices. But at night their instinct 

 changes. They fly and climb trees and shrubs in search of 



(ir. a. — f\il,,x,iiiia urnilalor, 

 the scarrhcr, a ground-ljeetle. 

 Nat. size. Photo. l).v \V. H. C. P. 



^ karabos, beetle. 



