COLEOPTERA. 69 



animals. Annually, large numbers of these animals are 

 killed, which are doing their best to preserve the balance 

 of nature. Destroy a friend and you invite his enemies 

 to become your enemies. Destroy predatory insects and 

 birds — insectivorous birds — or the weed seed-eaters 

 among the birds — and you invite a train of evils beyond 

 your power to control. Much patient investigation is 

 necessary if we would make use of these friends, also 

 readiness to make use of information whenever it offers 

 in order to know which insects to protect and which to 

 hunt and kill. Be it said for birds, before we approach 

 the subject more closely, that there are almost no birds in 

 our agricultural districts that do not do more good than 

 they do harm. Again, a plant-eating insect is not to be 

 condemned outright, for many plant-eaters among the 

 insects help to keep noxious weeds in check. 



Some of thd' beetles which are beneficial to the farmer 

 and the fruit-grower, and which should be protected by 

 them — and by all other people, for'that matter, since, so 

 long as we eat food, none of us can get away from our 

 connection with the soil and its products — are : 



Ladybird beetles Dung beetles 



Carrion beetles Rove beetles 



Checker beetles Whirligigs 



Soldier beetles Water scavengers 



Blister beetles Fireflies 



Diving beetles Flower beetles 



Tiger beetles Ground beetles 

 Tumble bugs 



Among the list of beetles just mentioned there are 

 some that deserve special notice, not only for their help- 

 fulness, but also because their feeding habits are such that 



