BEETLES. 121 



elder, and privet, and can be knov/n at some distance by 

 its peculiar narcotic smell. The larvae are parasitic upon 

 Hymenoptera. It is rare in this country. 



Family XL. (EDEMERIDiE. 



Wing-cases much broader than the short pronotum, elongated, 

 and generally narrowed towards the extremity. Antennae 

 long and filiform or setiform. The beetles live on flowers, and 

 the larvae in old wood and the stalks of plants. 



Genus ISTaceedes, Schmidt. 



Elongated, and of uniform breadth. Elytra flat, with two 

 slight longitudinal striae. Antennae with twelve joints in the 

 males, but only eleven in the females. Legs weak, with the 

 femora thickened in the males. They live on flowers. 



* N. melanura, Linn. (Plate XIL, Fig. 27). Head and 

 prothorax orange. Wing-cases yellow, tipped with black. 

 Scutellum nearly heart-shaped m the male, but almost 

 quadrangular in the female. The beetle lives on flowers, and 

 the larva in old wood. It is found on the sea shore and near 

 the mouths of rivers, in which places it is not uncommon. 



Genus Qj^DEMERA, Oliv. 



Antennae filiform, with eleven joints. Head strongly pro- 

 duced in front. Pronotum short, wing-cases broadest at the 

 shoulders. Hind femora thickened in the males. They are 

 found on flowers. 



* GE. femorata, Scop. (Plate XIL, Fig. 28). This beetle is 

 black, with grey hair. It has the base of the antennae and the 

 elytra yellowish-brown. The hind femora are much thickened 

 in the male. It is found on Umlelliferce^ and is especially 

 common on Aef/opadium podajraria. 



