THE GROUND BEETLE, 
Genus XXV. — Carabus. Ihe Ground Beetles 
In this family, which contains no lefs than forty- three 
fpecies, are found fome of the larged of the Briti/h in- 
fedts. They are cha aClerifed by fetaceous antennas, and 
by the ihape of the thorax, which refembles a heart ; the 
point cut off and margined. The tfytra are likewife 
furrounded with a margin *. 
In their winged ftate, the heads of thefe animals are 
prominent ; their mouths, like thofe of the preceding ge- 
nus, are armed with jaws, and four palpi. Their eggs 
are depofited under ground, or in decayed trees, where 
the larvae refide till they are metamorphofed. It is du- 
ring their caterpillar ftate, that they are prejudicial to 
gardens, and hence have beeu ironically called gar- 
deners by the French It is not, however, vegetable 
productions alone that they devour : They are the 
1 greateft tyrants to other infects, and deftroy indiferimi- 
nately, as many as their ftrength enables them to over- 
come. 
Carabus violaceus This fpccies is of an oblong 
fnape ; the colour a dark violet : The edges of the tho- 
rax and elytra, are violet with a fhade of purple. The 
latter have neither dots nor ftreaks, but are marked with 
ftrong longitudinal wrinkles. It is found among rottear 
wood. 
* Sytlcma Nat. p. 668. t Regne Animate, p. 44 , 
^ Rai Inf. p. g6. a. 1 . 
