2 54 
Beetles 
of the body. In most of the species the elytra are marked with fine longi¬ 
tudinal lines or rows of punctures, and in several species the hind wings are 
wanting, so that flight is impossible. There is something characteristic 
and almost unmistakable about the general make-up and appearance of 
these beetles. Their flatness, and smoothness, their shining black, greenish, 
or brownish coloration, and their small head with prominent, projecting, 
slender antennse, pointed mandibles, conspicuous clubbed palpi, and bright 
eyes, together with their equally characteristic haunting of hidden places 
on the ground, their swift alert running, and readiness to bite when caught, 
distinguish them, almost at a glance, from all other beetles. One of the 
largest, most conspicuous and well-known Carabids is the searcher, or cater¬ 
pillar-hunter, Calosoma scrutator (PL II, Fig. 9), an inch and a half long, 
with vivid violet-green elytra margined with reddish. It is commonly found 
at twilight and after dark on trees, and is often seen by collectors when 
“sugaring” for moths. It is said to make special war on the hairy tent- 
caterpillars, and thus do much good. Two other species of this genus, 
C. jrigidum (Fig. 344) and C. calidum (Fig. 345), the latter 
called the fiery hunter from its characteristic rows of reddish 
or copper-colored punctures on the black elytra, are keen 
Fig. 344. 
Fig. 346. 
-M _ . Fig. 345. 
Fig. 344 .—Calosoma jrigidum . (After Lugger; natural size.) 
Fig. 345 .—Calosoma calidum. (After Lugger; natural size.) 
Fig. 346.—Larva of Pterostichus striola. (After Schiodte; two and one-half times natu¬ 
ral size.) 
hunters of cutworms, canker-worms, etc. At the other extreme of size 
in the family are the tiny Bembediums and Tachys, some species of 
which are but inch long. The curious bombardiers, or bombarding 
beetles (Brachina), when disturbed, spurt out with popgun sound and puff 
of “smoke” an ill-smelling, reddish, acid fluid from the tip of the 
body. Comstock says that “these beetles have quite a store of ammuni¬ 
tion, for we have often had one pop at us four or five times in succession 
