BEETLES. 57 



Family XI. NITIDULID^ffl. 



Small, flat, and rather broad beetles, with straiglit aiitennde, 

 usually composed of eleven joints, three forming the club. The 

 front coxae are cylindrical. The tarsi are five-jointed, some 

 with the first and others with the fourth segment very small. 

 They are all small beetles, and feed on dried animal matter 

 and carrion. Many of them are found upon flowers. 



Genus EpuKiEA, Erichs. 



These are for the most part yellowish-brown species, which 

 live on flowers and on the exuded sap of trees. The antennae 

 converge obliquely inwards towards each other, and the first 

 three joints of the tarsi are expanded, and densely clothed with 

 small hairs beneath. 



^ E. ohsoleta, Fabr. Elongated, of uniform breadth. The 

 wing-cases are ochre-yellow, with one or more spots. The 

 thorax and abdomen are often blackish. It is found under the 

 bark of pine-trees, and on the exuded sap of other trees. 

 Length, 3 mm. 



Genus Meligetiies, Kirby. 



Elongated, oval. The hind tibiie are ciliated, and the first 

 three joints of the tarsi are expanded and villous beneath. 

 The wing-cases leave the last abdominal segment exposed. 

 They are found on flowers, often in large numbers, and under 

 the bark of trees. 



■^ M. ceneus, Fabr. (Plate VI., Fig. 13). Shining green or 

 blue, with the under surface black, and legs pitchy-black. It 

 is one of the commonest beetles living upon flowers, and eats 

 into the bud, where the female deposits her eggs. The larvte 

 feed upon the flower, and pass through their metamorphoses in 



