POLYMORPHA DASCILLIDAE 



255 



Coleoptera, the body being elongate and vermiform, the elytra 

 reduced to small, functionless appendages, while the wings are 

 ample, not folded, but traversed by strong longitudinal nervures, 

 and with only one or two transverse nervures. Owing to the 

 destruction of our forests the two British Lymexylonidae L. 

 navale and Hylecoetus dermestoides are now very rarely met 

 with. 



Fam. 58. Dascillidae.- Small or moderate-sized beetles, with 

 I'dtlier flimsy integuments, antennae either serrate, filiform, or 

 even made flabellate by long appen- 

 dages ; front coxae elongate, greatly 

 ('.'sc/'ted ; abdomen ivith jive mobile 

 1-i'ntral segments ; tarsi Jive-jointed. 

 This is one of the most neglected 

 and least known of all the families 

 of Coleoptera, and one of the most 

 difficult to classify ; though always 

 placed amongst the Serricornia, it 

 is more nearly allied to Paruidae 

 and Byrrhidae, that are placed in 



Clavicornia, than it is to any of the FlG _ 132 . __ H y drocyphou deflexions. 

 ordinary families of Serricornia. It 

 is probable that careful study will 

 show that it is not natural as at present constituted, and that the 

 old families, Dascillidae and Cyphonidae, now comprised in it, will 

 have to be separated. Only about 400 species are at present 

 known; but as nearly 100 of these have been detected in New 

 Zealand, and 17 in Britain, doubtless the numbers in other 

 parts of the world will prove very considerable, these Insects 

 having been neglected on account of their unattractive exterior, 

 ;ind fragile structure. The few larvae known are of three or 

 four kinds. That of Dascillus cervinus is subterranean, and is 

 believed to live on roots ; in form it is somewhat like a Lamelli- 

 corn larva, but is straight, and has a large head. Those of the 

 < 'yphonides are aquatic, and are remarkable for possessing antennae 

 consisting of a great many joints (Fig. 132, A). Tournier 

 describes the larva of Helodes as possessing abdominal but not 

 thoracic spiracles, and as breathing by coming to the surface of 

 the water and carrying down a bubble of air adhering to the 

 posterior part of the body; the larva of Hydrocyplion (Fig. 132, A) 



Britain. A, Larva (after Tournier) ; 

 B, imago. 



