Golden Beetle
the name popularly given to many members of a genus of coleopterous insects, Chrysomela, and of a sub-family, Chrysomelinæ, belonging to the tetramerous section of the order.
The body is generally short and convex, some of the species are destitute of wings. None are of large size, but many are distinguished by their metallic splendor of color. The finest species are tropical, but some are found in Britaine. g., the golden C. cerealis with purple stripes found on Snowdon, and the other parts purplish-brown. It has great power of flight, but not the speed of many of the falcons and hawks, but its keen sight enables it to spy an object of prey at a great distance, and with meteor-like swiftness and unerring aim it falls on its victim. The nest of the golden eagle is placed on a shelf of a rugged and generally inaccessible precipice. It is flat and very large, and consists of dry sticks. The eggs are two in number and dull white with undefined patches of brown. The golden eagle preys on fawns, hares, wild turkeys, and other large birds. It does not attain its full beauty of plumage till the 4th year.
GOLDEN-EYED FLY The so-called ring-tailed eagle is the golden eagle before it has reached maturity. The European golden eagle is so nearly like the American one that there is a question whether it is not the same species.
GOLDEN-EYED FLY (Chrysopa perla), or LACEWING FLY, a neuropterous insect, common in Great Britain; pale green, with long thread-like antennæ, long gauze-like wings, and brilliant golden eyes. Its flight is feeble. The female attaches her eggs, in groups of 12 or 16, by long hair-like stalks, to leaves or twigs, where they have been mistaken for fungi. fungi. The larvæ are forocious-looking, rough, with long hairs; they are called aphis lions, and are very useful in the destruction of aphides, on which they feed. The pupa is inclosed in a white silken cocoon. The general facts above stated are also true of another very common species (Ch. vulgaris) - a delica green insect, with a body about half an inch long. The species of Chrysopa emit a very disagreeable odor. The nearly allied genus Hemerobius is also abundantly represented in Great Britain and elsewhere.