TAILED BEETLES. 



175 



because the males have a pair of enormously large horns on 

 the pro-thorax. This beetle, (Boletotherus bifurcus Fab.), pos- 

 sesses a very rough surface on the body and wing-covers, and is 

 of a dirty brownish color. It feeds upon the large toadstools, 

 ( Polxporus) , so common 011 the sides of dead and dying trees. 

 Fig. 182, Plate If, shows both sexes of this remarkable insect. 



A large number of small families of beetles follow, but none 

 of the insects contained in them are of any great economic im- 

 portance. 



FAMILY MORDELLIDAE. 



The beetles in this family are all small, some very small. 

 Some are black, others are variegated, but all are covered with a 

 silky pubescence. Such beetles are found in immense numbers 

 during the early summer, in many kinds of flowers, in which they 

 feed upon the pollen. In doing so they are of some importance 

 in cros*s-fertilization. 



Fig. 183.— Mordella 8-punctata, Fab.— After Riley. 



As may be seen in the illustration, (Fig. 183), which shows 

 Mordella 8-punctata Fab., they have a very arched body, the 

 head is bent down, and the abdomen is usually prolonged into a 

 slender point. They are very active, flying readily, but they 

 usually try to escape by the most intricate contortions, which 

 make it almost impossible to secure them, and they usually drop 

 to the ground and are lost. Their larva; live in rotten wood and 

 in the pith of plants. 



