FAMILY CARABID.E. 41 



• •■ V 'ii & c then, gentlemen," says M. Boisgiraub, in conclusion, " that it is mdispen- 

 sable to study the manners and habits of destructive insects, that their instinct and address 

 may be successfully employed lor the destruction of the species able to do us injury. Then 

 in place of barbarously crushing the useful species which have the misfortune to be not 

 always ornamented with the rich colors of the butterfly or the bupre&tis, we will endeavor 

 to protect them and propagate their race. We will find auxiliaries in them the more 

 valuable, as they increase with our adversaries, and as they alone are able to rival the 

 cunning of these ingenious enemies." ' 



B r a c h i n i d e s. 



The sub-family Brachinides may be known by the shortness of the whig-covers, which 

 are not sufficiently prolonged to cover the extremity of the abdomen. In addition to this 

 character, the head and thorax are narrower than the abdomen. The labium is often oval 

 or square, and is occasionally furnished with two small lateral linear lobes. The penulti- 

 mate joint of the tarsi is bilobed in many of the small species : the anterior tarsi of the 

 males are, very rarely, dilated at the base. Some species are destitute of wings (West- 

 wood). 



The most curious fact connected with the natural history of this sub-family is the 

 means by which they defend themselves against the attack of an enemy. When pursued, 

 they suddenly discharge from behind a highly volatile and elastic fluid, possessing con- 

 siderable pungency : this sudden discharge, which is accompanied with an explosion, 

 both irritates and confuses the pursuer, so that the intended victim has opportunity to 

 escape. From this singular mode of defence, these insects have received the name of 

 bombardiers. The fluid discharged is caustic, and stains the skin yellowish brown. They 

 live under stones, logs or boards in fields. Several individuals are often found in the 

 spring together, as if their habits were of a social nature. 



Genus BRACHINUS (Webee). 



• Body oval, convex; thorax narrow; labrum transverse ; tarsi simple; palpi filiform; 

 ' claws simple.' Westwooli. 



Braciiixus perplexis (Dj.). (Plate xvii, fig. 7.) 



Head, thorax, abdomen and legs light brick-red. Elytra bluish black, faintly grooved. 



Braciiixus cepiialotes (Dj.). (Plate xviii, fig. 4.) 



Head, thorax, abdomen and legs light brick-red. Elytra blue-green, or with a reflexion 

 of green ; the metallic hues stronger than in the perplexus : body also proportionally 

 shorter, and more obtuse behind. Length about three-tenths of an inch. 



[ AGRICULTURAL RETORT VoL. V.] 6 



