250 THE BUTTERFLY VIVARIUM. 



especially the Gold-chafer, or Rose-beetle, decidedly 

 one of the most splendid of his tribe, and which 

 has the additional advantage over most insects in 

 its unusual longevity. A Rose-beetle was once 

 known to go on living in apparent healtb, and re- 

 joicing in the brilliancy of his bronze and golden ar- 

 mour even for eight years, as an insect pet, fed upon 

 soaked crusts, etc.; and there are several recorded 

 instances of one being kept for terms of three and 

 four years. Some naturalists have accounted for 

 this unusual length of existence on the ground of 

 the insect having been solitary, and not allowed to 

 pair. It is, in fact, well known that insects possess 

 an extraordinary tenacity of life till the great 

 end of their existence, the continuation of their 

 species, has been effected. A female Moth about to 

 deposit her eggs, for instance, cannot be destroyed 

 by any amount of torture till she has laid the very 

 last egg. She will continue her work of maternity 

 undisturbed by half-a-dozen pins driven through her 

 body, and any number of drops of prussic acid 

 poured upon or around her. 



Then there is the great Stag-beetle, the giant of 

 our native Coleoptera, which might be tried in the 

 Vivarium ; and if it were not found to do mischief, 

 it would form a conspicuous and striking figure in 



