134 THE YOUNG 



wood of trees. Many of the species are 

 imported in large numbers in this way, and 

 in timber ports a great many species may 

 be obtained that are not natives of the 

 country, though some of them may perhaps 

 establish themselves if they have the oppor- 

 tunity. 



The Ladybirds must be the last group we 

 name. They are, as the name (coccinella) 

 implies, berry shaped, and are generally 

 either red or yellow, with black spots. 

 They are universal favourites with children, 

 and many are the little rhymes they have 

 about them. In their earlier stage they are 

 very useful, as the larvae live on the noxious 

 plant lice. Unlike many beetles, which fly 

 at dusk or after dark, we never saw the 

 Ladybird take wing except in the bright 

 sunshine. 



Space forbids further enlargement on 

 this order, about which we could gossip 

 for a long time. Our next paper will be on 

 Hymenoptera, 



HOME MANAGEMENT OF 

 THE PLUNGER BEETLE: 



(Fig. 4. Pl. i.) 

 By C. H. H. Walker, Liverpool. 

 There are few insects which can be reared 

 under the eyes of an observer better than 

 the one forming the subject of this article. 

 So common is it, that there is scarcely a 

 pond or ditch untenanted by one or more 

 during the summer months ; and from their 

 habit of coming frequently to the surface 

 of the water for a fresh supply of air, they 

 rarely escape detection by a passing Coleop- 

 terist. Unlike the eggs of moths which are 

 often deposited in clusters on the under side 

 of leaves, those of the Dytiscits mavginalis are 

 dropped promiscuously here and there, and 

 not affixed to any vegetable growth, so 

 that, to obtain them is by no means easy of 

 accomplishment. Therefore it is better to 

 collect the insect in the larval state, fortun- 



NATURALIST. 



ately no very difficult matter. The collector 

 must proceed to some stagnant ditch or 

 pond, armed with two or three wide- 

 mouthed phials and a strong water-net. 

 The net should then be dragged through the 

 fresh-water weeds for a distance of two or 

 three yards, and suddenly raised. Among 

 the usual pond debris will frequently be 

 found the larvae of the Plunger Beetle in 

 all stages of their existence. It will easily 



Fig. 42, Larva of Plunger Beetle, 

 be recognised by its cigar-shaped body, of a 

 blackish-brown colour, and by its extremely 

 prominent and sickle-shaped jaws. Drop 

 it into one of the phials, which has been 

 previously half filled with water, together 

 with a spray or two of weed. On no ac- 

 count permit two or more to remain for any 

 length of time in company, for such is their 

 voracity, that they would not hesitate to 

 devour one another ; therefore I should ad- 

 vise the collector who has obtained more 

 than one, to chose the healthiest-looking of 

 the lot, and after setting the others at liberty 

 (unless required for the purpose of dis- 

 section,) to proceed homewards, first care- 

 fully enveloping the bottle containing the 

 cherished specimen in a black cloth, thereby 

 shielding it from the hot rays of the summer 



