COLEOPTERA. 513 



MalarMus, Pabr., has beneath each of the anterior angles of the thorax and each side of the base of the aoaorof n 

 a retractile vesicle capable of dilatation, and which the animal protrudes when it is alarmed, but Of the use of which 

 we are ignorant. The body is shorter than in the follow in? genus, with the thorax broader than long. One of the 

 sexes has in some species a hook at the tip of the elytra ; the basal joint of the antennae is often dilated and irrs- 

 gular-shaped in the males ; their colours are agreeable. [These are active, pretty little insects, found in the spring 

 and summer months, especially frequenting umbelliferous plants to prey upon the weaker insects which inhabit 

 those flowers.] Types, ('antlmris ii-nea, Linn., and CantharU Mptutulata, Linn, [two very common British species]. 



Dasytet, Fabr., has filiform palpi; the thorax is not furnished with vesicles; the antennae at least as long as 

 the head and thorax, and the body generally narrow, and sometimes linear. D. cicruleus, Fabr. 



Zygia, Fabr., and MelyrU proper are composed of exotic species, having the ungues unidentate; the antenna; 

 shorter than the head and thorax, and the body shorter and of a more solid consistence. 



Pelecophorut, Dejean, has the maxillary palpi terminated by a large hatchet-shaped joint. Notoxus Jlligeri, Sch. 



Diglobicerus, Latr., has the antenna; only distinctly 10-jointed, the last two joints being large and globular. 



The fourth tribe of the Malacodermi, that of the L'terii, so named from the typical genus Clerus, is 

 distinguished by the following characters : — Two of the palpi at least are advanced, and terminated in 

 a mass ; the mandibles are dentate ; the penultimate joint of the tarsi bilobed, and the first very short, 

 or indistinct in many species ; the antennae are either filiform or serrated, and sometimes clavate, or 

 gradually thickened to the tips ; the body is ordinarily almost cylindrical, with the head and thorax 

 narrower than the abdomen, and the eyes notched. The majority are found upon flowers, and the 

 others upon the trunks of old trees, or in dry wood. Such of the larvjc as have been observed are 

 carnivorous. This tribe comprises the genus 



Clerus, Geoff.,— 

 Some of which have the tarsi, when seen either from above or below, distinctly 5-jointed : and the 

 antennae arc always dentated like a saw. 



Cylidrui, Fabr., having long entire mandibles (type, Trichodcs cyaneus, Fabr., from the Isle of France) ; and 

 Tillut, oliv., having the mandibles of moderate size, and notched at the tip (type, Tlllu$ elongatut, Oliv., a 

 rare British species), have the maxillary palpi filiform, or but slightly thickened at the tips; whilst 



Priocera and Axina, Kirby, founded upon Brazilian insects, have all the palpi terminated by a mass, the last 

 joint of the labial palpi being always hatchet-shaped. 



Euryput, Kirby, differs from the last two in having only the penultimate joint of the tarsi bilobed. This is also 

 founded upon a Brazilian species. 



In others the tarsi, when seen from above, only appear to be composed of four joints, the first of the five ordi- 

 nary joints bein? very short, and concealed beneath the second. 



Tkatuuimiu, Latr., Clerus, Fabr., having the maxillary palpi filiform (type, Attelabut formcariut, Linn); and 

 Opilo, Latr., Notoxue, Fabr., having all the four palpi terminated by a large hatchet-shaped joint (type, Atte* 

 labux mollis, Linn.), have the antenna; gradually thickened to the tip, but in the remaining 

 groups the last three joints form a sudden mass. 



Clerus, Geoff. (Tric/wdes, Fabr.), has the maxillary palpi terminated by a reversed triangular 

 compressed joint, whilst that of the labial is larger, and hatchet-shaped ; the joints of the club 

 of the antenna; are close together; the thorax is depressed in front. The perfect insects are 

 J] ^^Pl V found upon flowers, but the larva; feed upon the grubs of some kinds of Mees. 

 //y"— 1»-t\. \, Trichode* alveariut, Pabr. Blue, with red elytra banded with blue; lives in the Deal of 

 Mason Bees ( <!. oxmia. Keaum.), and feeds at the expense of their posterity. The larva of AIU'- 

 labUM iipiorius, Linn., devours that of the Honey Bee, and often does mueh damage in hives. 

 Xiriobia, Latr. {Corynetet, Fabr.), has the four palpi terminated by a joint of the same size, 

 f>,(. r,o -cirrui .tvc- in the form of an elongated and compressed triangle; the joints of the club of the antenna 



*"""• apart, and the thorax is not depressed m front. Neerobia violaeea, < >iiv. ; Demote* • le 



Linn. Very common in houses and upon carcases. 



BnopUwm, Latr., has the ninth and tenth joints of the antenna' produced on the inside into a long tooth. Tillus 

 l e rr at ie orn ie, I Hiv. 



The fifth tribe of the Malacodermi, that of the Ptinioret, has for its type the genus Ptinut, Linn., 

 and some others which are derived from, or most nearly approach it. The body of these insects is of 

 rather solid consistence, sometimes ovoid or oval, or sometimes cylindrical, but general]} short, and 

 rounded al each end; the head is almosl orbicular, and received in the thorax, winch is verj much 

 swollen, or hood-shaped ; the antenna' of some are filiform, or become gradually slender to the tip, 

 either Bimple or Oabellate, pectinated or seriated, and those of others terminate in three joints abruptly 

 thicker and longer than the preceding joints; the mandibles are short, thick, and toothed; the palpi 

 are verj short, and terminated by a larger joint, almost oval, or reverse triangle-shaped; the tibiae are 

 not toothed, and the spurs at their tips arc very small; their colours arc always obscure and but ih'ghtlv 



2 i. 



