•A YOUNG NATURALIST. 97 



hurt you. Many of the Carabus family, when they are 

 caught, try to defend themselves by throwing out a corro- 

 sive iiquid ; others make a report, accompanied by smoke, 

 which has given them their name of bombardier." 



" What do they find to eat under the bark, in which they 

 must lead a very gloomy life ?" 



" Larva3 and caterpillars ; they are, therefore, more useful 

 than injurious." 



" To what order of insects do they belong ?" 



" To the Coleoptera order, because they have four wings, 

 the largest of which, called elytra, are more or less hard, 

 and justify their name* by encasing the two other wings, 

 which are membranous and folded crosswise. The cock- 

 chafer, you know, is one of this order." 



A fresh piece of bark revealed to us two scorpions with 

 enormous bellies, and heads so small as to be almost imper- 

 ceptible; all they did was to stiffen out their tails, which 

 are composed of six divisions, the last terminating in an ex- 

 tremely slender barb. 



" Oh, what horrid creatures !" cried Lucien, starting back; 

 u if it wasn't for their light color, you might take them for 

 prawns with their heads cut off." 



" Yes, if you didn't examine them too closely. I suppose 

 you will be very surprised when I tell you that they are al- 

 lied to the spider tribe." 



" I should never have suspected it. Are they dead, then, 

 for they do not move?" 



" Insects belonging to this order are very slow and lazy 

 in their movements. They are found under most kinds of 

 bark ; therefore I advise you to take care when searching 

 through it." 



" Should I die if I were stung ?" 



* Elytra is derived from a Greek word, eTivrpov, a sheath. 



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