A BUST CITY AND THOROUGHFARE. 2O3 



day-time but stalk abroad at night on their rapaci- 

 ous errands. Their wings, however, are imper- 

 fectly developed, some having merely pieces of 

 weak, flimsy gauze folded under the wing covers, 

 and never used. But the tigers are day highway- 

 men and very rapid in flight. While examining a 

 specimen, I am struck with the ingenious mechan- 

 ism of its wing. Beside the basal joint there is 

 a hinge situated about midway on each side of the 

 three outer veins, enabling the insect to fold it at 

 will, and with the nicety and accuracy of a fan, 

 beneath the bony covers, which protect the deli- 

 cate gossamer structure while the beetle is digging 

 in the ground. 



A specimen imprisoned in a vial is observed 

 with interest. Its color and markings harmonize 

 well with that of the sand on which it runs. The 

 manner in which it laps up the criminal's fare of 

 bread and water is remarkable. How many im- 

 plements it has about , its mouth to prepare its 

 food for swallowing ; knives and forks, brushes, 

 squeezers and hooks, all of which it uses contin- 

 ually. A fly is thrown in, when it instantly seizes 

 it and begins the work of extracting the juices 

 by the constant horizontal movement of its jaws, 

 and the manipulation of its lip feelers. Its little 



