My specimen was given me by a friend, who kept it with another in a round tin box. It lived with me for about three months in a four-ounce bottle, that measured three inches in height, to the neck, and two inches in diameter. The bottom was covered to the depth of about an inch with garden soil, and the top tightly corked, to prevent the prisoner’s escape. This precaution was necessary; for the inside of the bottle, though cleaned from time to time, soon became covered with a coating of earthy particles, which afforded the Beetle a pretty firm foothold. It was an extremely interesting pet, and its struggles to escape by climbing up the sides of the bottle often afforded me much entertainment. It seemed to have a glimmering notion that the only way out was by the top, and knowing nothing of the cork it would rear itself up against the side, and try to climb up by vigorous movements of its fore-legs. It would also take advantage of any little lump of earth projecting about the rest. It had not intelligence enough to make anything like a mound for itself, though the inequalities were probably the result of its burrowing under the surface. Its temper was none of the best, for if it was disturbed with the forceps it would resent it fiercely. The mandibles would be opened, the abdomen curled up, and out would come the two vesicles as a means of defence. If the forceps were put near the mandibles, they would be seized, and the Beetle would hold on so tenaciously that it has often been lifted out of its bottle in this fashion. It was exceedingly voracious, and was generally fed on garden worms. After a full meal its increase in size was very evident. This is not to be taken to mean that insects grow after they have attained the perfect or imago state, for this is not the case. But when they have had a long fast, the segments approach each other, and are forced apart when the creature is gorged with food. If a Beetle of this species were kept fasting for some days, and then carefully measured, and measured again after being plentifully supplied with worms or flies, there would be a difference of some millimetres between the results.