PREDACEOUS BEETLE. The predaceous beetles are among the most beneficial in agricul ture, since they prey exclusively upon insects, and principally on noxious ones. There are two principal classes of these, the predaceous ground beetles, the most useful, and the soft winged predaceous beetles. In the first class we have the Cicinaidce or Tiger beetles, and the Carabidce or Ground beetles; the latter divi. ded into a number of subfamilies. Calosoma calidum, (see cut), is one of the most useful of these, the beetle and larva or which is given. above. The beetle is an inch in length, with three rows of golden dots on each wing cover, and is predaceous both in the larval and perfect state. This division of the subfamily Carabides embraces the genera Ca/Tabus, Calosoma, and Cychrus. The preceding cut shows Chalceraius Pennaykanicus, of the subfamily Chaltenides; a, male beetle; b, larva; c, d, e, front tarsus of male and of female magnified. Harpa lus Pennsylvanicus is a nearly related species, as also is Hbaliginosus. The family Harpalides embrace a very ex tensive group of beetles little infe rior to all the other subfamilies noticed. They are black or dalk me tallic in color as a rule, and their size is limited in its range from a quarter of an inch to a little more than an inch in length. Their distinctive characters are diffi cult to determine except by an entomologist, and are-omitted. In HoTaLus Pennsykanicua, how
ever, we have shown the under side of the anterior tarsus of the male magnified, showing the two rows of scale-like papilla, and near the end is the notch so characteristic of the anterior tibia of the tibia spurs at its upper angle as delineated by Dr. Riley. The Virginia Tiger Beetle (Tetrachct Virginica) also belongs to the predaceous ground beetles, and the name well expresses their fierce voracity in their attacks on other insects. It is one of the insects attacking the Colorado Potato Beetle, and the larva also feeds upon insects, and indeed the larva of its own kind, if it find them. Another insect often mistaken for the Squash Bug, and thus destroyed, is the Spined Soldier Beetle, one of the most persistent in its at• tacks on the Colorado Potato Beetle, %but feeding on various insects. The Plant Bug is squarer than the Soldier Beetle, and its beak is sharper and larger.
The cut at a, shows the beak of the Sol dier Beetle, b, the beetle, c, the beak of the Dotted-legged Plant Bug (Ettchistus punctes), The Plant Bugs should be destroyed and the Soldier Beetles protected wherever found for their services as exterminators of noxious insects.