MEANS OF DEFENCE OF INSECTS. QAT 
reddening white paper, and producing on the skin the 
sensation of burning, and forming red_ spots, which 
pass into brown, and though washed remain several 
days?. 
Another expedient to which insects have recourse to 
rid tliemselves of their enemies, is the emission of dis- 
agreeable fluids. ‘These some discharge from the mouth ; 
others from the anus; others again from the joints of 
the limbs and segments of the body; and a few from ap- 
propriate organs. 
You have doubtless often observed a black beetle 
crossing pathways with a slow pace, which feeds upon 
the different species of bedstraw (Galium, L.), called by 
some the bloody-nose beetle (Chrysomela tenebricosa, ¥.). 
This insect, when taken, usually ejects from its mouth a 
clear drop or two of red fluid, which will stain paper of 
an orange colour. The carrion-beetles (Si/pha and Ne- 
crophorus, F.), as also the larger Carabz, defile us, if 
handled roughly, with brown fetid saliva. Mr. Shep- 
pard having taken one of the latter (C. violaceus, L.) ap- 
plied it in joke to his son’s face, and was surprised to 
hear him immediately cry out as if hurt: repeating the 
experiment with another of his boys, he complained of 
its making him smart: upon this he touched himself 
with it, and it caused as much pain as if, after shaving, 
he had rubbed his face with spirits of wine. This he 
observed was not invariably the case with this beetle, its 
saliva at other times being harmless. Hence he conjec- 
tures that its caustic nature, in the instance here record-. 
ed, might arise from its food; which he had reason to 
a Ann. du Afus, xviii. 70. 
