HLSTERIDAE PHALACRIDAE NITIDULIDAE 



231 



Fam. 27. 



Fig. 111. — OUbrus bicolor. 



instars, and devour the larvae of Diptera, etc. The relations of the 

 auts'-nest forms to the ants is not made out, but it is highly probable 

 that they eat the ants' larvae, and furnish the ants with some 

 dainty relish. A few species live in company with Termites. 



Phalacridae. — Bod>/ very compact ; elytra entirely 

 covering it; apical joints of antennae rather 

 broader, usually long ; front coxae glohtdar ; 

 posterior coxae contiguous ; abdomen with 

 Jive visible ventrcd segmeiits ; tarsi five- 

 jointed, fourth joint ttsuaUy small and 

 obscure. This family consists entirely of 

 small Insects : the tarsal structure is very 

 aberrant, and is also diverse, so that the 

 student may without careful observation 

 pass the Insects over as having only four- 

 Heeger) ; B^'perfecTinsect!" jointed tarsi ; their structure, so far as 

 the front two pairs are concerned, being 

 very nearly that of many Phytophaga. The larvae live in the 

 heads of flowers, especially of the flowers of Compositae. Having 

 bored their way down the stems, they pupate in earthen cocoons. 

 Heeger ^ says that he has observed in favourable seasons six 

 generations ; but the larvae die readily in unfavourable seasons, 

 and are destroyed in vast numbers when the meadows are 

 mowed. Seven years ago very little was known as to the family, 

 and the list of their species scarcely amounted to 100, but now 

 probably 300 are described. They occur in all parts of the 

 world ; we have fourteen in Britain. 



Fam, 28. Nitidulidae. — Antennae with a three-jointed club ; 

 all the coxae separated, and each with an external prolongation ; 

 tarsi five-jointed, the fourth joint smaller than any of the others ; 

 abdomen ivith Jive visible p)lates. These Insects are numerous, 

 about 1600 species being at present known ; in many of them 

 the elytra nearly or quite cover the hind body, but in many 

 others they are more or less abbreviated ; in this case the 

 Insects may be distinguished from Staphylinidae by the form 

 of their antennae, and the smaller number of visible ventral seg- 

 ments. The habits are very varied, a great many are found on 

 flowers, others are attracted by the sap of trees ; some live in 

 carcases. We have about 9 species in Britain ; several forms of 

 1 SB. Ak. Wien. xxiv. 1857, p. 330. 



