




















THE GOLDSMITH BEETLE, AND ITS HABITS. 191 
snake are moved by the ribs; the tenderness of the abdo- 
men and feet accounting for this singular upside-down way 
of getting along. It certainly was an effectual getting over 
the difficulties of a new situation. But this experiment, tried 
with a younger larva, turned out otherwise. It travelled on 
its abdomen, and would not, even when so placed, go at all 
upon its back. It seemed to me that the dorsal segments 
were too soft to afford it the advantages thus had by the 
older individual. 
I think the Goldsmith prefers land under present tillage, 
and’ that the dor-bug loves grassy land better than garden 
soils; hence the latter is to be regarded as the more inju- 
rious of the two. The Goldsmith beetle is very short-lived. 
It is likely that the female lays her eggs in the ground 
in June, which month usually sees her for the last time. 
Their life I hardly think is given to much mischief. Says 
Harris, “pear trees are particularly subject to their attacks.” 
A more recent observer, Mr. Uhler, indicates that its injury 
is not serious to this tree, and that it is more frequently 
found on other trees. It appears to me to be far from par- 
ticular in its taste; for besides the trees mentioned by Dr. 
: rris, “the pear, hickory, poplar, and oak,” I have found 
it on the Abele, or white poplar of Europe, the Bilsted, or 
Sweet gum, and seen it eating the Lawton blackberry. For 
the double purpose of concealment from enemies and com- 
fort of shade, it will draw together a couple of leaves, hold- 
ing them by the sharp tiny hooks or grapnels on its feet. 
Of sluggish habits and but low instincts, it quietly nestles 
Mm its improvised arbor all the long summer day. At morn 
and evening twilight it ventures abroad, seeking its food, 
flying and buzzing about, enjoying its arboreal life, short at 
best, and to many very short indeed, as they fall an easy 
prey to the ever-watchful birds. Sometimes their little 
round of existence is abruptly broken in a very unsentimen- 
tal way. The little Cotalpa, brimful of life, unintentionally 
enters the open window, and, dashing bewilderingly in a sort 
