190 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



and glossy, of a fulvous color." Blaps is found in moist places ; 

 other genera, under bark ; Phaleria, on the sea shoi-e. Boleto- 

 phagus, as the name suggests, lives in fungi. 



Passing over several small groups we come to the 



Mordellidae, which are wedge-shaped, small, glistening pubes- 

 cent black beetles, which occur in abundance on the flowers of 

 golden rod and asters, and when disturbed leap like fleas. The 

 larvae of 3Iordella are found in the pith of plants in autumn, and are 

 long, subcyliudrical, the sides of the rings furnished with fleshy 

 tubercles. 



Meloidae. This and the following family are most interesting, 

 from their parasitic habits, and demand careful study and observa- 

 tion. Meloe augusticollis, is an inch long, thorax very small, square; 

 abdomen large and swollen ; the elytra are small and oval. The 

 antennae of the male are crooked in the middle. It is of a deep 

 Prussian blue. It feeds on grass in the spring, in the summer it is 

 found in the White Mountains, feeding on Clintonia borealis. The 

 larva is very different from the beetle, and as found parasitic on 

 wild bees, resembles larvae of some Staphylinidae, being oblong, 

 flattened ; the three thoracic rings above, of nearly equal size, 

 transversely oblong, the head nearly of the same size, with short 

 antennae ; the legs have very long claws, with an intermediate 

 long pad. From the tip of the abdomen proceed two pairs of 

 setae of unequal length. They are found living upon bees between 

 the joints of the bead and thorax, their heads immersed in the dense 

 scales of the bee. In Europe this genus has been found parasitic 

 on Cetonia. Our Cetonia Inda, and other related beetles should be 

 searched for them. The eggs are laid on the ground, and the active 

 larvae attach themselves soon after hatching, to bees, and to the 

 Syrphus flies, and Muscae. • 



Canlharis and our Epicauta, secrete cantharidine, of use in phar- 

 macy. E. atrata, is found in abundance on golden rod, and it is per- 

 fectly black, with long elytra. Rhipiphorus, is parasitic on the 

 wasp ; Itipidia on Blatta americana, the cockroach. 



Slylopidae. The larvae of this most anomalous family are much 

 like that of Melve. They are oval in form. The perfect insects 

 are not a quarter of an inch long. The elytra are pad-like, while 

 the hind wings are greatly developed, expanding broadly, folding 

 .when the insect is at rest, along the body. They live but a. short 

 time in the perfect state. "They are parasitic in the bodies of 



