284 the living animals of the world 
L. , 
Photi by W. P. Dartdo, F.Z.S. 
Regenf s Park 
GROUND-BEETLE 
The beetles of this group are generally of 
a black or bronzy colour, some species 
being beautifully metallic 
wing-cases. It pours out an evil-smelling liquid from the end 
of the body when handled. 
The curious red-and-blue Bombardier, which, when interfered 
with, discharges a little puff of bluish-white smoke from the tip of 
the abdomen, accompanied by a distinct report, is also a member 
of this group. It is found under stones on river-banks, and also 
on the coast. 
Next come the predacious beetles of the water, of which we 
have a well-known British representative in the Great Brown 
Water-beetle. This insect, which is plentiful in weedy ponds, 
swims by means of its hind limbs, which are modified into broad, 
flat oars, with a mechanical arrangement for “feathering” as they 
are drawn back after making each stroke. It flies by night, often 
traveling for a long distance from one pond to another, and 
regains the water by suddenly folding its wings and allowing 
itself to fall from a height. In 
the female insect the wing-cases are 
grooved for about two-thirds of their 
length. 
This beetle must not be con- 
founded with the still larger Black 
Water-beetle, which belongs to another group. This fine insect, 
which is not predacious in the perfect state, is locally plentiful 
in ditches, and is in great request as an inmate of the fresh- 
water aquarium. The hind limbs are not modified for swimming 
purposes. 
Next in order come the COCKTAILS, so called from their 
curious habit of turning up the end of the body when alarmed. 
To this group belong most of the tiny “flies” which cause such 
severe pain when they find their way into the eyes. Some 
species, however, attain to a considerable size, the well-known 
Devil’s Coach-horse being fully an inch in length. The great 
majority are scavengers, being 
found in carrion, manure, and de- 
caying vegetable matter. A few, 
however, are lodgers in the nests 
of ants, by whom they appear to 
be regarded as pets and treated with the utmost kindness. 
The next group includes the curious insects popularly 
known as Burying-BEETLES, which inter the bodies of small animals 
in the ground, scooping out the earth from underneath them by 
means of their broad and powerful heads, and shovelling it back 
when the carcases have sunk to a sufficient depth. The eggs 
are laid in the carrion thus buried. Most of these beetles are 
distinguished by broad blotches or bars of orange on the wing- 
cases, but one common British species is entirely black. 
Allied to these, and very similar in habits, are the Flat 
Burying-BEETLES, of which there are about a dozen British species. 
In the best known of these the thorax is dull red in colour, and 
.BLACK WATER-BEETLE black wing-cases are curiously wrinkled. Another species is 
A shining black species, longer, narrower, j-eddish ycllow in colouf, with two roLind black spots on each 
It IS found on oak-trees, and feeds upon caterpillars. 
P^ofo by IV. P. Dando^ F.Z.S. 
RegenP ^ Park 
GREAT BROWN 
WATER-BEETLE (MALE) 
A large olive-brown species, about an 
inch in length, and nearly half as 
broad. The wing-cases of the 
female are grooved 
Photo ijy kV. P. Dando.f F.Z.S. 
Regent's Park 
Bro^n JVa'.er-heede 
Wing-case. 
