53S 



INSECTA. 



occupy one extremity of this tribe, whence it becomes easy, from a comparative study of other relations, to pursue 

 the series to the other extremity ; this is also in accordance with the progressive changes of the antenna;. 



Cerocoma, Geoff., has only nine joints in the antennae of both sexes, those of the males being- of a very irregular 

 construction. The species appear towards the summer solstice in great abundance at the same place ; they are 

 found upon flowers, especially the wild chamomile. iV. Sclii'iffo-i, Linn. [None of the species are found in 

 England.] 



Hycleus, Latr. (Dices, Dej ), has the two or three terminal joints of the antennae united (at least in the females), 

 into a thick ovoid mass, the number of joints being nine or ten. Mylabris impunctata, Oliv. [ExotTc species.] 



Mylabris, Fabi., has longer antennae, with eleven distinct joints in both sexes, gradually terminating in a club ; 

 the eleventh or last joint being large and ovoid. 



Megerle has separated some species, from the variation in the length of the intermediate joints of the antennae, 

 into the genus Lydus, some of which are better characterized by having one of the divisions of the ungues toothed. 

 Mylabris chicorii, Linn., inhabits the south of Europe, and its vesicatory properties are as powerful as the Can- 

 tharis of the shops, with which, no doubt, it is mixed in Italy. The Chinese use M. pustidata. 



CE/ias, Latr., has the antennae not longer than the thorax, and of equal thickness throughout, with the last joint 

 conoid. 



Meloe, Linn., has the antennae composed of short rounded joints, the middle ones being the thickest, and some- 

 times arranged so that these organs make a strong crescent in some males ; the wings are wanting, and the oval 

 elytra partially cover the abdomen. They crawl slowly on the ground and low plants [in the spring], emitting an 

 oleaginous reddish fluid from the joints of the feet. In some parts of Spain they are used instead of, or mixed with, 

 the common Cantharides. I have regarded them as the Duprestesoi the Ancients, who attributed to them very 

 pernicious properties, such as destroying oxen when eaten by them. 



M. proscarabieus, Linn, [the common British species], is about an inch long, and of a black colour, shining, very 

 punctate, the sides of the head and thorax, antennae, and feet, tinged with violet. According to De Geer, the 

 female deposits in the earth a great number of eggs united into a mass. The larvae have six feet, two filaments at the 

 extremity of the body, and attach themselves to flies, which they suck. Mr. Kirby thought this larva was an ap- 

 terous insect or parasite, to which he gave the name of Pcdiculus meliltte, and at first I adopted this opinion. Dufour 

 also formed it into a distinct genus, Triungulinus. Hut the recent researches of Lepeletier and Serville, who have 

 reared these Triungtilini from the eggs of isolated females of Meloe, do not permit us to doubt that they are the 

 young of the Meloe. We know, indeed, that many Heteromera deposit their eggs in the nests of various Bees- 

 may it not be the same with these Meloes, the larvae of which attach themselves to the Bees until they have com- 

 pleted their provisioned nests, in which they then take up their abode? 

 The remaining subgenera have ordinary-sized wings and elytra. 



Tetraonyx, Latr., has short maxilla;, and the penultimate tarsal joint is bilobed. [Exotic insects, chiefly Brazil.] 



Cantharis, Geoff. (Lytta, Fabr.), has short maxillae, entire tarsal joints, and the head is larger than the thorax. 



Cantharis vcsicatoria [the common Blister-fly], is of a shiny green colour, with black antennae. M. V. Audouin 



has studied its anatomy with great care, [Ann. 

 Sci. Nat. vol. ix.) This insect appears in our cli- 

 mate [France] towards the summer solstice, and 

 is found most abundantly on the ash and lilac, of 

 which it consumes the leaves ; it emits a most 

 penetrating odour. Its larva lives in the earth, 

 and feeds upon the roots of vegetables. [It has 

 lately been found in immense numbers in Eng- 

 land, but very locally.] In the United States of 

 America, another species, C. vittata, is employed 

 for the same purpose. It is found in abundance 



Fig. 77 —Cantharis vesicaturia. upon the potato. 



Zonitis, Fabr., has the antennae slenderer than in Cantharis ; the maxillary palpi are filiform, and the maxillae 

 short. 



In the two following subgenera the maxillae are terminated by a very long silky filament. 



Nemognatha, Latr., having filiform antennae, and the thorax nearly square. 



Gnathium, Kirby, with the antennae rather thickened at the tip, and the thorax narrowed in front. [Both con- 

 sisting of exotic species.] 



Sitaris, Latr. (Apalus, Fabr.), has the elytra suddenly narrowed, so as to expose part of the wings. They reside 

 in the larva state in the nests of Mason-bees. [S. humeralis, a rare British species, beautifully figured by Curtis.] 



Apalus proper, Fabr., has the elytra not so strongl> narrowed, and the middle joints of the antenna; rather 

 dilated. 



The third general section of the Coleoptera (Tetramera) exclusively comprises those species 

 which have four [distinct] joints to all the tarsi, [a minute joint, overlooked by most authors, 

 being affixed at the base of the terminal joint, and between the lobes of the so-called penul- 

 timate joint ; hence the supposition of Latreille that the loss of the fifth joint was caused by the 

 basal joint becoming coalescent with the second joint, cannot be maintained.] 



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