24 



beautiful metallic purple ; sometimes, however, it assumes a greenish garb. On either 

 wing cover there is a bent reddish line extended from the outer almost to the inner margin, 

 a dot lower down and another at the extreme tip of the inner margin. It rather delights 



Fig. 7. Fig. 8. Fig. 9. 



in chilly weather, and often appears before the snow is well gone. Mr. Bethune says (Rep. 

 Ent. Soc, 1873) that he has caught it in numbers in April, and on one occasion as early 

 as the 17th March, before the snow was gone. 



The six-spotted tiger beetle ( C. sex-guttata, Fabr.), fig. 6, is a most beautiful insect 

 of a most brilliant metallic green, flecked with three small white spots on each wing cover ; 

 Packard calls these markings " golden dots. " 



The hairy-necked tiger beetle ( C. hirticollis, Say), fig. 7, is a common species closely 

 resembling, though smaller than, C. vulgaris ; it is distinguishable by having whitish 

 hairs on its neck. 



C. generosa, Dej., (fig. 8), is more strongly marked than the species already mentioned, 

 and is considerably larger. 



C. 12-guttata, Dej., is smaller than vulgaris, brownish, and decorated with twelve 

 smaller reddish spots. 



C. pimctulata, Fab., is about the size of C. 12-guttata, and has a row of smaller dots 

 along the inner margin of the wing covers, and a couple of irregular lines on each wing 

 cover. 



The tiger beetle may well be called a beneficial insect, and is a valuable and should 

 be a valued friend of man, although some of the species living at the sea-shore feed upon 

 small shrimps, to the loss of humanity. Although it does not, like that brilliant murder- 

 ess, the Dragon-fly (to quote again the gushing Michelet) clear the atmosphere of the gnats 

 and flies that torment mankind, still with its crossed daggers, which serve it for jaws, it 

 accomplishes a swift and almost incredible havoc among the smaller insects. We should 

 take care of it and respect it. It is an efficacious auxiliary to the agriculturist. The 

 farmer by killing tiger beetles becomes the friend of those insect hosts that fatten on his 

 labours — the preserver and protector of those little enemies which devour his substance. 

 The ferocity of these insects is remarkable. They quickly tear off the wings and legs of 

 their victim, and suck out the contents of its abdomen. Often, when they are disturbed 

 in this agreeable occupation, not wishing to leave it, they fly away with their prey ; but 

 they cannot carry a heavy burden to any great distance. 



They are true children of earth. The eggs are laid in the earth, and in the earth 

 the grubs are hatched, and in the earth they spend their days, and in the earth they pre- 

 pare their shrouds, and enwrapped therein sleep their pupa sleep through the long winter, 

 and with the returning warmth of spring crawl out of their earthy chambers to run and 

 sport on earth, seldom using their new found wings to fly away from their beloved mother. 



The grubs are curious creatures — hideous hunchbacks (fig. 9), but possessed of brain 

 and stomach. They live in the same localities as their parents, the anxious mother having 

 wisely deposited her eggs where food will be most easily attainable by the larvae. Let us 

 examine a grub. LeConte says we can easily procure one in spring by placing a fine straw 



