420 
On Knionwlogy. 
Article Yi.—^On the Study of Entomology^ as .suitable for 
young Gardeners. By Rusticus. 
Conlinucd from, page 374. 
Family II.— Brachinidce. —This family contains 0 genera, divided 
into 34 different species. The most remarkable, is the Bombardier, 
Bruchinus crepitans, [fig. 67] It is known by its head 
and thorax, (fore-part of its body) being brick-red, 
and the rest part of the body, of a deep blackish- 
blue. When any person attempts to catch it, a dis¬ 
charge is given, resembling the sound of a pop-gun> 
accompanied by a kind of smoke, of which it is furnish, 
ed with a bladder containing sufficient (according to 
Rolander) to fire off as many as 20 shots successively; 
and when pursued by its deadly enemy, the Calosoma 
inquisitor, so niuch its superior both in size and strength, it uses this, 
as the only means in its power, to escape from its destroyer.—If this 
smoke gets into a person’s eyes it makes them smart as if bathed with 
brandy. The B. displesor, can direct its smoke, according to M. 
Dufour, to any particular point, by bending itself in the required direc¬ 
tion. M. Dufour also informs us, in his “Annales de Museum,” 18, 
page 70, that the smoke has a pungent odour, similar to nitric acid, 
that it is caustic, and reddens white paper. 
h.CJc. 
Family III.— Scaritidce. —Contains 5 genera. 
They are to be found in various situations, some 
of them burrowing to a considerable depth into the 
ground, and others getting under rubbish, &c. 
The Dyschirius inermis, (Curtis) [fig. 68] is 
very rarely to be met with: Mr. Curtis has no re¬ 
collection where he obtained his specimen.—British 
Entomology, vol. 8, page 354. 
Family IV.— Carahidce. —Characterised by ce¬ 
taceous or bristly antennse or horns, and by the shape 
of the thorax, which resembles a heart with the point 
cut off, and margined.—Syst. Nat. page 668. Their eggs are depo¬ 
sited under ground and in decayed trees, where the larvae reside until 
they are metamorphosed; they are prejudicial to gardens, during the 
cateqiillar state; feeding on the roots of different sorts of vegetation. 
The perfect beetles of several species of Carahus, may be occasionally 
met with in celery trenches. They are subject to change colour, par¬ 
ticularly the C. arvensis, which is sometimes to be met with of a copper 
colour, at others, resembling brass, at others green or blue, and even 
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