48 SYSTEMS OF ENTOMOLOGY. 



This species burrows in cow-dung and under the earth, digging deep 

 holes; and is found plentiful on heaths and commons during April 

 and May. Mr. Marsham in his Eutomologia Britannka has described 

 80 species of Scai-abai found in this country. 



Genus 2. Lucanus. 



Antenna; clavated; club perfoliate: maxillie prominent and dentatcd: 



hodi/ oblong : anterior tibia dentated. 

 Sp. 1. L. Cervm, the Stag-beetle. With a scutcllurn; the maxillrB 



projecting, bifurcated at the apex, with many teeth on the internal 



edge. (P/.l.y^g.3.) 



This is the largest of the British Coleoptera; the larva is white, and 

 lives on putrid wood, particularly oak ; its head and feet are of a rust 

 colour. The perfect insect varies in size and colour ; in general it is 

 dark brown or blackish ; the jaws are very large, about one third of 

 the length of the whole insect, and have a distant resemblance to the 

 horns of a stag; Mr. Marsham's inermis is only the female of this 

 species. 

 Sp. 2. L. puvallclipipedus is considerably smaller, and may be obtained 



in June and Jidy in the neighboiu'hood of willows. 

 Obs. i. caruboides has not yet occurred in Britain, at least no British 



specimen is known. 



Genus 3. Dermestes. 



AntenncB cl'diVzX.efS.; the club perfoliated {Ft. l.fig.4. a.); the three ter- 

 minating articulations larger than the rest: thorax convex, with 

 scarcely any margin: head inflected, and partly hid under the thorax. 

 The lai'vEB of the insects of this genus feed on decayed animal sub- 

 stances, and are exceedingly injurious to the meat in larders, skins, 

 furs, and books. 

 Sp. 1. D.murinus. Oblong; downy clouded with black and white ; abdo- 

 men covered with fine white down or hair. 

 Inhabits Europe ; and may frequently be found in the dead moles hung 



up on the hedges by countrymen. (PL i.fig. 4.) 

 Sp. 2. D. Scoli/tiis. Elytra truncate, blackish and striate : abdomen re- 

 tuse : front downy and of an ash colour. (PL l.fig. 5.) 

 The insects of this genus are very ]>roHfic ; both the lar\TE and per- 

 fect insect eat the roots and wood of trees, and are sometimes very de- 

 structive to woods. 'I"he following account, from Mr. Kirl )y's Introduction 

 to Entomology, of jBcw/^/'/cAws Ti/pographm l''abr.,will further illustrate 

 the habits and manners of this genus : " This insect in its preparatory 

 state leeds upon the soft inner bark only: but it attacks this important 

 part in such vast numbers, 80,000 being sometimes found in a single 



