232 THE BUTTERFLY VIVARIUM. 



and of course rendered much lighter, may often 

 be seen floating on the surface of brooks and 

 streams, puzzling the curious who have not made 

 themselves acquainted with this part of the do- 

 mestic economy of the female Hydropldlus. The 

 larva of Hydropldlus Piceus feeds upon small 

 molluscs, and manages to break their shells by a 

 very singular contrivance. He, in fact, makes a 

 table of his back, towards which he is able to bend 

 over his head, in which position it is very interest- 

 ing to watch him make the necessary preparations 

 for his meal. 



But I must leave my readers to learn more 

 about Water Beetles from their own experience, or 

 from works specially devoted to the subject, for I 

 have not yet attended to the very first genus of 

 Coleoptera, that of the pretty green and red spot- 

 ted Cicindela, commonly called the Tiger Beetle, 

 from the ferocity with Avhich, both in the larva and 

 perfect state, it pursues its miniature prey. The 

 names of this pretty Beetle and of the Glow-worm 

 were confounded by the naturalists of the last 

 century, which led to many misconceptions, some- 

 what similar to those caused by the numerous Homo- 

 phones which are now puzzling the decipherers of the 

 cuneatic inscriptions of the Assyrians. It is curious 



