Among the largest beetles that we have in this country are the Stag Beetles. They get this name from the size of their jaws.
If you look at the picture, you will see that the great jaws look like horns. If you should ever see the head of a stag or deer, you may notice that this beetle’s jaws are very like the stag’s horns in shape.
The Stag Beetles.
These jaws can give a very hard pinch in time of need. Still you need not be afraid of the stag beetle; he will not hurt you.
The use of these great jaws is not yet fully known. You will see that they have knobs on the inner edge.
Only Mr. Stag Beetle has these horns. Mrs. Stag Beetle has small jaws, and her head is not so wide as her shoulders. Mr. Stag Beetle has a very wide head. He needs a wide, strong head to hold up his big jaws.
If you will look at the picture of the beetle in Lesson XXII.,[15] you will see that its feelers are like a plume of six feathers. These feathers are so set that the beetle can fold them on each other into a single club, as you can fold a fan. They are called scale-feelers.
The stag beetle has also curious feelers. They are made in scales, but he cannot close them into a club. The scales are set like the teeth of a comb. He has comb-feelers. Perhaps they are of use to him in cleaning his body and legs.