72 
THE SUBSTITUTE. 
“ The larva! of most of the spe- 
cies arc of a rovin«: disposition, 
anil wander about like the perfect 
insects under clond of nicht in 
pursuit of their prey. Theirwhole 
upper siirfiice is covered with a 
horny skin, which is harder upon 
the head and proihorax ; the head 
is armed with a pair of formidable 
jaws, and the lees are well formed 
'and stout. They are excessively 
gluttonous, and destroy great 
quantities of caterpillars, and the 
larva! of other herbivorous insects, 
which indeed constitute the prin- 
cipal food of most of the preda- 
ceous beetles, both in their„larva 
and perfect states, although in 
this respect they are by no means 
particular, but 'will feed without 
the slightest remorse even upon 
individuals of their own species. 
“The largest of the common 
British beetles of this group are 
the species of tb.e genus Carcihus, 
several of which are an inch or 
more in length. I shall only re- 
fer to two of the most abundant 
and generally distributed of these, 
— the Carabus liorlensixy which is 
exceedingly common in gardens, 
and the Curabus violaceus, which 
inhabits the open country in al- 
most equal profusion. Both these 
beetles are full an inch in length, 
and of a black colour. The for- 
mer has the margins of the thorax 
beautifully tinted with a metallic 
purple; the elytra are of a fine 
coppery brassy tint, delicately 
grained all over, and exhibiting 
three rows of small impressed 
dots. It is found abundantly in 
the gardens of the subuibs of 
London, and in those paits where 
the gravel lootpaihs have not 
yet given way to paving-stone, no- 
thing is more common than to see 
these insects lying dead upon the, 
paths in the morning, crushed be- 
neath the unheeding heels of noc- 
turnal wanderers. 
“The Carabus violaceus, from 
inhabiting the open fields and 
heaths, is not liable to have the 
thread of his existence cut short 
in this unceremonious manner, 
and he often continues his wan- 
derings under the bright morning 
sun. This fine beetle is entirely 
of a bluish black, with the whole 
upper surface finely grained ; the 
margins of the thorax have a de- 
licate violet tinge, and the outer 
margins of the elytra are tinted 
with coppery-purjile.’’ 
Perhaps, when Mr. Dallas im- 
pinges upon the water-beetles, we 
may give a further extract. 
MR. KINGSLEY’S SEA- 
SIDE BOOK. 
A Third Edition (sixth thousand) 
ivith additions and improve- 
ments, with frontispiece : beauti- 
fully bound in cloth, with gilt 
edges, fcap. Sro, 3s. 6d. 
L.AUCUS ; on. The Won- 
vT pEiis or THE Shouk. 
By CiiAS. Kingsley, F.S.A., 
Author of 
•‘Westward Ho!" “Hypatia," &c. 
Third Edition, corrected and 
enlarged. 
Cambridge: McMillan iS: Co. 
Printed and puldishod by Edwaud Nfw- 
MAN, I’riiiur, of No. !•, Devonshire 
Street, Hisliops({ate Without, London, 
in the oounty of Middlesex. — Saturday, 
November ii), IWO. 
