40 INSECTS ABROAD. 



througL tlio elytra, and the general shape of tlie sniall(;r letters 

 be made visible. 



The colour of these elytra is dark red-brown. Their surface 

 is highly polished, like shining horn, and is covered with 

 rounded wavings like the marks left by the sea-ripple on tlie 

 sand. The general appearance and colour of these strange 

 elytra have been happily compared to the thin, flat, shining 

 gingerbread called "jumbles." The edges of tlie thorax are also 

 flattened, just as if they had been made of some soft substance 

 and then pinched, and they are furuislied with rather formidable- 

 looking teeth at the sides. 



The legs and body are much blacker than the elytra, but tlie 

 blackness is evidently owing to the greater thickness, inasmuch 

 as the thorax, which is red-brown at the sides, wdiere it is thin, 

 is red-black in the middle, where it is thick. If the elytra be 

 separated, the wings can be seen snugly packed away between 

 them and the body, so that we may consider it to be among the 

 flying insects. 



In consequence of its strange and almost eccentric shape, 

 systematic entomologists were for a time rather puzzled as to the 

 place which it ought to hold. Sorne wished to place it with 

 the genus Sphodrus, on account of the structure of the mouth 

 and the deep notch near the tip of the front tibiae. Some ranked 

 it with the Brachinidre, or Bombardier Beetles, because it cer- 

 tainly has, with the exception of the flattened elytra, a decided 

 resemblance to some of the genera of that family. Moreover, it 

 has similar habits to the Brachinidte, being always found hiding 

 under some substance that will exclude the light, just as our com- 

 mon British Bombardier Beetles are always found hiding under 

 stones. Some thought that it ought to come at the very head 

 of the Beetle tribes, even taking precedence of the Tiger Beetles. 

 However, the multitude of counsellors has found wisdom, and 

 by degrees the Mormolyce has settled down into the place which 

 it now occupies ; namely, tlie family of the Pericalides. 



Although a large Beetle, it does not seem to be a strong one, 

 and, in spite of the saw-like edges of the thorax, its general 

 aspect conveys an impression of feebleness. The head, for 

 example, is small in proportion to the rest of the body, and is 

 very much elongated and slightly flattened ; the jaws nre in- 

 significant, and the legs give no indications of power. Indeed, 



