CARION-BEETLES. 



29 



come to the surface of the water with their heads first. The illus- 

 tration, (Fig. 27), shows some of the stages of the largest of 

 these beetles. 



FAMILY CARRION-BEETLES. 



( Silphidae) . 



These well known beetles devote all their attention to de- 

 stroying dead animal matter, even of the most putrid kind. A 

 few are, however, partly vegetable feeders, and at least one is 

 known in Europe as being very destructive in gardens. Most 

 people have seen some of them at work burying dead mice 

 and birds, for which reason they are called "burying-beetles" 

 (Fig. 28). They are black, with large spots or bands of bright 

 orange yellow ; some are polished, others have a thorax densely 

 covered with yellow hairs. If such beetles discover a small dead 

 animal, they immediately remove the soil beneath the same, and 



Fig. 28. — Necrophorus burying mouse, and larva. Alter Landois. 



