TIGER BEETLES. 525 
mit the creature to see in every direction without turning itself; and, lastly, 
gifted with agile wings that enable it to rise in the air as readily as a flyora 
wasp. Moreover, it is covered with a suit of mail, gold embossed, gem 
studded, and burnished with more than steely brightness, light yet strong, 
TIGER BEETLE, EIGHT-SPOT TIGER BEETLE.—(Cicind la octoxotata.) 
and though freely yielding to every movement, yet so marvellously jointed as 
‘o leave no vulnerable points even when in full action, and. in fine, sucha 
suit of armour as no monarch ever possessed and no artist ever conceived. 
Even in its larval state the Tiger Beetle is a terror to other insects, snapping 
them up as they pass by its burrows and dragging them into the dark recesses 
of the earth to be devoured. Several American species inhabit trees, and 
are quite as destructive among the branches as their congeners upon the 
earth, The typical species which is represented in the illustration is the 
EIGHT-SPOT TIGER BEETLE of India. 
The British Tiger Beetle is remarkable for exuding a powerful scent, much 
resembling the odour produced by a crushed verbena leaf. 
A VERY large and important famiry of Beetles, the Carabidz, now comes 
before us, which is represented in England by very 
many species, the common GROUND BEETLES being 
familiar examples. 
Of the typical genus of this family we take the 
Violet Ground Beetle (Carabus violaceus) as an ex- 
ample. 
This fine Beetle is plentiful in this country, and 
may be found in gardens, gravel-pits, and similar 
localities. It is said to be especially common in the 
midland counties. 
The elytra are rather convex, and narrowed at the 
shoulder, and are finely granulated, z ¢., covered with 
minute rounded projections, They are black; but 
the margins are e.lged with a band of coppery or 
golden violet, sometimes warming into purple. The 
body is black beneath. The disc of the thorax is 
black, and the margins are violet; and the head 
is black. The length of the beetle is about an inch. 
The members of this genus are almost wholly VIOLET GROUND BEETLE. 
inhabirants of temperate climates ; and it has been fest aie wiaacess) 
stated that scarcely any species are to be found within thirty degrees from 
the equator on either side, 
