ROVE BEETLES. 



STAPHYLINID^E 



The Rove Beetles may be known by their long, narrow 

 form and elytra, which rarely half cover the abdomen. 

 The number of tarsal joints varies from 3 to 5 and is not 



* 



always the same in the different feet of the same insect; 

 the abdomen has 10 dorsal segments, fewer below. Sharp 

 says that "it is probable that one hundred thousand 

 species or even more of Staphylinidas are at present in 

 existence." About 2,000 have already been described 

 from the United States and the number is rapidly increas- 

 ing. Probably fully 200 species can be found in almost 

 any region but their identification is rather technical and 

 no differentiation will be attempted here. "They live 

 on decaying animal or vegetable matter, in excrement, fun- 

 gi, or fermenting sap, and are among the most universally 

 distributed of all beetles. Many of them are predatory, 

 and some have been accused of feeding on living plants; but 

 on the whole they are of importance to the agriculturist 

 only as scavengers, and as they aid in reducing the dead 

 animal and vegetable matter into shape for assimilation 

 by plants" (Smith)." Creophilus villosus (Plate LXXV) 

 is common about carrion and excrement. When adults 

 are disturbed, they raise their tails as though they would 

 sting, but all the species are perfectly harmless. Tacliinus 

 fimbriatus (Plate LXXV) is often found in mushrooms. 



We now skip a number of families of very small beetles: 

 TRICHOPTERYGID^E, in decaying vegetable matter; SCAPHI- 

 DIID^E, generally shining black, sometimes marked with 

 red or yellow spots, living in rotten wood, fungi, and the 

 like; PHALACRID^E, shiny black, very convex, living on 

 flowers or under bark; and CORYLOPHID^E, black or brown, 

 marked with yellow, in fermenting sap, fruits, and other 

 vegetable matter, on dead branches, and under bark. 



COCCINELLID^E 



I suppose it is a relief to the reader also when we reach, 

 as now, a family whose habits we like. Many of us have 

 quoted 



297 



