MELOE. MELOE, 
Generic Character. 
Antemiie moniliformes, ar- 
ticulo ultimo ovato. 
Thorax subrotun lus. 
Elytra mollia, flexilia. 
Caput inflexiim. 
Antenna monilifonu, with 
the last joint ovate. 
Thorax roundish. 
Wing-Sheaths soft, flexile. 
Head inflected. 
_/VmONG the principal species of Meloe may 
be numbered the Meloe Proscaraheens, commonly 
called the Oil-Beetle. It is of considerable size, 
often measuring near an inch and half in length: 
its colour is violet-black, especially on the antennae 
and limbs: the wing-sheaths are very short, in the 
female insect especially, scarcely covering more 
than a third of the body, and are of an oval shape: 
this species is frequent in the advanced state of 
spring in fields and pastures, creeping slowly, the 
body appearing so swoln or distended with eggs 
as to cause the insect to move with difliculty. On 
being handled it suddenly exsudes from the joints 
of its legs, as well as from some parts of the body, 
several small drops of a clear, deep-yellow oil or 
fluid, of a very peculiar and penetrating smell. 
This oil or fluid has been highly celebrated for its 
supposed efficacy in rheumatic pains, &c, when 
