( 1(50 
As to what the ingenious Mr. 'Derham of ‘Vptnia* 
fter has obferv’d, that the Beatings are a fort of Prelude 
for Copulation, I could not difcover that this Beetle had 
any other of the fame Species near it and therefore I 
am inclin’d to think, that it beat for the Preparation 
of its Food, at this time, at lead, whatfoever it might 
do at other times,for Pleafure. The Defcription Mr. Al- 
len gives of the Infed, as referr’d to above, forafmuch 
as 1 can find by this (which I took from the Chair 
where I found it, into a Box) is very true: ’Tis about 
a Quarter of an Inch in length, of a dark,, dirty Colour, 
having a broad Galea^ or Helmet, over its Head ^ un- 
der which, when quiet, it draws up its Head ; fo that 
this Galea is, when this Infed refts, a very notable 
and providential Defence againft fuch Falls, as are fre- 
quent in rotten and decay’d Places, in which, it fhould 
feem, this Infed is very much converfant* The fecond 
Day ’after I took it, I open’d the Box wherein it was, 
and fet it in the Sun : The Infed was foon very brisk, 
and crept backwards and forwards along the . Pieces of 
Sedge, and rotten Wood, that I had put with it into the 
Box, till at length getting to the. End of one of the Pie- 
ces, i^ immediately ftruck out its Wings, and was juil 
goiiw to take its Farewell } but having the Lid of the 
Box ready in my Hand, I (haded it over, and it foon 
drew in its Wings, and was very quiet. I could not 
before perceive, though I had the Ufe of a tolerable 
trood Glafs, any the leaft Sign of a FiiTure upon its 
Back : and, for that Reafon, did greatly queftion, whe- 
ther it had any Wings or not, till I fet it, as above, in 
the Sun. The Head of the Infed appears to be of a 
very fine Contexture, as it is feen, when it creeps about, 
and ftretcheth it forward } but when ’tis drawn up un- 
der its Galea, it feems to be cover’d with a Membrane 
thick fet with fine Hairs* 
It 
