EXPLODING BEETLE. 
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insect on these occasions, is contained in a bag placed 
near its posterior extremity, and the vapour is said 
to be of such a pungent nature, that, if it happen 
to be discharged into the eyes, it causes as painful 
a sensation as if brandy was thrown into them. 
Rolander, who first made these observations, by 
irritating one of the insects, caused it to give twenty 
explosions successively. 
It conceals itself among stones, and moves by a 
sort of jump. The fetid discharge which it emits 
is given it as a means of defence against its enemies, 
for it has several, and among others, one of its own 
tribe of a much larger size. When pursued by this 
formidable adversary, who advances with open jaws 
to seize him, the exploding beetle discharges his 
artillery, and envelopes his enemy in the acrid va- 
pour ; this for a moment puts a stop to the pursuit, 
and our beetle attempts in the confusion to hide 
himself in some hole or crevice ; but if he should 
not succeed, his destruction is inevitable ; the ene- 
my returns to the attack, and, seizing him by the 
neck, tears off his head. 
This insect is found in several parts of Europe, 
and sometimes in England. 
