46 COLEOPTEKa. 



SECTION VII.— Malacodermata. 



Tarsi generally five-jointed ; body more or less soft ; prosternum 

 not dilated or prolonged in front, and very rarely prolonged into 

 a point behind ; antennae generally serrated or pectinated, and 

 not received into thoracic cavities ; abdomen with six or seven 

 segments ; habits generally more or less carnivorous. 



Family I. — Cehrionidce. 



Antennae eleven-jointed, inserted near the eyes ; pectinated or 

 serrated, and longer than the head and thorax ; prosternum pro- 

 duced behind, nearly as in the Elateridce. 



A small group, which is more numerously represented in 

 the Mediterranean region than elsewhere. The species figured 

 (Cebrio Fuscus, Fabr.) is a native of the Cape. The European 

 species are found on plants in the neighbourhood of water, and 

 the males are said sometimes to appear in swarms after a thunder- 

 storm. Cebrio Gigas, Fabr., a well-known South European insect, 

 is reddish-brown, and about an inch long. 



Family II. — Ehijndoceridce. 



Antennse with eleven or more joints, inserted in front of and 

 below the eyes, pectinated or flabellated in the males ; prosternum 

 not pointed behind ; a large tuft of hairs between the claws of the 

 tarsi. 



A small family, entirely exotic, though one species {Ccdlirhrp'ts 

 Blanchei, Clievr.) is found in Syria. Bhipidocera Cyanea, Cast., 

 is a Brazilian species. 



Family III. — DascUUdm. 



Antennae eleven-jointed, filiform or branched; prosternum 

 hardly pointed behind ; claws of the tarsi simple ; elytra covering 

 the abdomen ; shape oblong or oval. 



These beetles are met with on flowers, and their larvae are also 

 plant-feeders ; some feed on water-plants, and others under bark. 

 The most typical European species of this family is DascUlus 

 Cervimis, Linn., which is pitchy black, often with yellowish-brown 

 elytra, legs, and antennae. It is clothed with very fine greyish hair, 

 and is about half an inch in length. It is found on the flowers of 

 Umbelliferae in mountainous districts. Among the foreign species 



