250 



INTRODUCTION TO ZOOLOGY 



hunter, its body being about f of an inch, long, and of a 

 beautiful green colour, spotted with white and yellow. It is 

 both an active runner and flier. The eggs are laid in the 

 earth, where the larva lives its whole life, finally pupating at 

 the bottom of its burrow. The curious 

 bent form of the larva, and the pair of 

 hooks at the back of the abdomen, of 

 which it makes use when moving up and 

 down in its burrow, are shown in Fig. 

 180. Clearly shown also is the strange 

 flattened form of the dark hoj>ny head, 

 on which the larva is said to carry up 

 the earth from below as it excavates its 

 burrow. This burrow may be a foot 

 or more in depth, so that the larva ex- 

 pends a considerable amount of labour in 

 forming it. .When it is finished, the 

 larva waits at the top of the burrow, 

 closing the upper end with its horny 

 head and thorax ; immediately an insect 

 crosses this pitfall, it is drawn down into 

 the pit and there devoured. 

 Ground Many land beetles have taken so entirely to 



Beetles a ground life that their wings have become more 

 (Carabidae). qj. jgss rudimentary, and their legs specially strong. 

 Such forms may often be seen running about amongst grassy 

 vegetation. They are known as the Ground Beetles {Carabidae), 

 and since they are carnivorous, they are valuable in a 

 garden. 



All the beetles so far described have had simple, thread- 

 like, jointed antennae. Those now to be considered have 

 variously modified antennae, usually with the last few seg- 

 ments thicker than the rest (club-shaped or clavicorn), or 

 with the segments extending laterally on their inner sides, 

 so that the antennae appear serrate (serricorn). For con- 

 venience, this classification into clavicorn and serricorn forms 

 will be adopted here, with a further subdivision according to 

 habitat, the group being too enormous for a more scientific 

 classification to be attempted. 



PiQ. 180.— Larva of the 

 Tiger Beetle, in 

 natural position as 

 in its burrow. 



