LARWIGS. 533 
themselves to the space between the bark and the wood. The grubs practi- 
cally possess no limbs, the minute scaly legs being entirely useless for locomo- 
tion, and the movements of the grub being performed by alternate contraction 
and extension of its ringed body. 1n order to aid in locomotion the segments 
are furnished with projecting tubercles, which are pressed against the sides 
of the burrow. 
PassING by several families, we come to the Chrysomelide, which are 
round-bodied, and in most cases very brilliantly coloured with shining green, 
purple, blue, and gold, of a peculiar but indescribable lustre. They are slow 
walkers, but grasp the leaves with a wonderlully firm hold: The British 
species of Chrysomela are very numerous. One of the genera belonging to this 
family contains the largest British specimen of these beetles, commonly 
known by the name of the BLOODY-NOSE BEETLE (Z7zmarcha tenebricosa), 
on account of the bright red fluid which it ejects from its mouth and the 
joinis of its legs when it is alarmed. This fluid is held by many persons to 
be a specific in case of toothache. It is applied by means of permitting the 
insect to emit the fluid on the finger and then rubbing it on the gum, and 
the effects are said to endure for several days, The larva of this beetle is a 
fat-bodied, shining, dark green grub, which may be found clinging to grass, 
moss, or hedgerows in the early summer. It is so like the perfect insect 
that its identity cannot be doubted. 
THE family of the Coccinellidz, or LADYBIRDS, is allied to the Chry- 
somelidz, and is well known on account of the pretty little spotted insects 
with which we have been familiar from our childhood. Though the Lapy- 
BIRD is too well known to need description, it may be mentioned that it is 
an extremely useful insect, feeding while in the larval state on the aphides 
that swarm on so many of our favourite plants and shrubs. The mother 
Ladybird always takes care to deposit the eggs in spots where the aphides 
most swarm, and so secure an abundant supply of food for the future off- 
spring. 
EARWIGS. 
TAKING leave of the beetles, we now proceed to a fresh order, distin- 
guished by several simple characteristics, among 
which may be mentioned the soft and leathery 
elytra or forewings, the wide and membranous 
hind-wings, and the forceps with which the tail is 
armed. The insects belonging to this order are 
popularly known by the name of EaRwics, and 
are represented in this country by several species 
of different dimensions. 
The membranous wings of the Earwig are truly 
beautiful. They are thin and delicate to a de- = 
gree, very large and rounded, and during the 
day-time packed in the most admirable manner 
under the little square elytra. The process of 3 
packing is very beautiful, being greatly assisted PH bee, 
by the forceps on the tail, which are directed by GIANT EARWIG. 
the creature with wonderful precision, and used 
as deftly as if they were fingers directed by eyes. The Earwigs seldom 
fly except by night, and it is not very easy to see them pack up their 
wings. Some of the smaller species, however, are day-flyers, and in spite of 
their tiny dimensions may be watched without much difficulty. There are 
about sevén or eight British species, some of them being of very small size, 
