The feelers of beetles take many forms. Some are like plumes, some are like scales or leaves, some like clubs. Some are nearly round like balls, some are cone-shaped, some plain and straight; some are bent like a new moon.
A farmer or gardener will like your beetles better dead than alive. As he will tell you, the beetles and their larvæ are very greedy things. They often eat leaves and spoil crops and trees.
LESSON XXV.
THE ROSE BEETLE.
The chief family of the beetles is a large one. It is found in all parts of the world. The beetles that belong to it are large, and often of fine color and shape.
In old times the people of Egypt called one of this family the sacred beetle. They kept it as an object of worship. They often wore a stone or metal image of it, to keep themselves from harm.
Let us now study one of this family. It is called the Rose Beetle. That is a very pretty name. The beetle itself is pretty. It chooses a pretty home and dainty food.
The Rose Beetle.
Some call this the Golden Beetle, because of its color. It is a fine large beetle, with a thick body, round at the tail part. The feelers are short and club shaped. The body, head, legs, and wing-cases are a rich golden green, with silver spots and lines.