THE TiEETLE 65 



other insects. Since most of them are moisture-lovers, they 

 abound chiefly in the neighborhood of watercourses. Although 

 the majority prey on hving animals, some speckles are vegetable- 

 feeders. The larvte of one species are very destructive in the 

 Southern States to young Indian corn. Cei'tain forms emit 

 ill-smelling fluids, often with a popping sound. These fluids 

 are beheved to help defend the beetles from their enemies. 



The next two families, both water-beetles, the divers (D^ytis'- 

 cidfe') and the whirligig beetles (Gyrin'idie-), include beetles 

 which are finite as destructive to animal life of the watcT as 

 the runners are to that of the land. As could be predicted 

 from their habitat, they are moisture-lovers, contact-lovers, 

 and cold-lovers. Their shape is peculiarh^ modified for hfe 

 in or on the water. The legs are broad like oars and the body 

 is pointed at the front and covered with fine hairs whicli 

 entangle bubbles of air. The air-bubbles help to buoy the 

 animal in the water and to afford a supply of oxygen. The 

 Dytiscidae are usually the larger species and have long, 

 thread-like antennae which they use in testing the character 

 of the bottom. The Gyrinidffi, which are small beetles, whirl 

 around on the surface of the water, often in groups. They 

 have short antennae. Each eye is divided into an upper 

 half, used for looking into the air, and a lower half, used for 

 looking into the water. The larvae of both of these families 

 have a long and si)indle-shaped or flattened body and live 

 in the water. 



The water scavenger-beetles (Hy"drophiri(he'^) make up an- 

 other family of aquatic l)eetles that are less strictly carnivorous 



' dylikos, fitted for diving. 



'gyros, circle; because this beetle swims in a circle. 

 ^hydros, water; philos, loving. 

 F 



