-^36 



COLEOPTERA 



There is l)iit one genus, and for a long time only two or three 

 species were known, and Nvere great rarities in collections ; in 

 the last few years the number has heen raised to nearly forty.^ 

 They are remarkable beetles with oblong form, and a somewhat 

 metallic upper surface, which is much sculptured, and possesses 

 four yellow, smooth spots on the elytra. According to Mr. George 

 Lewis they are found feeding at the running sap of trees, but the 

 larvae are not known. HeL ttidae are peculiar to the Indo-Malayan 

 region (including Japan) with one species in Eastern Africa. 



Fam. 35. Thorictidae. — Tarsi fivc-jointcd, none of the joints 

 hroi/d ; front coxae snudl, rather i^roriiinent, hut not at all trans- 

 rrrse ; Jive risible rcntral ^^laten, all mobile; nietasternuni very 

 short; antennae short, icith a solid club. Tliis little family, con- 

 sisting of the genus Thorictas, appears to l)e a distinct one, 

 though the structure has only been very imperfectly studied. It 

 is peculiar to the Mediterranean region, where the species live in 

 ants' nests. They appear to be on terms of great intimacy with 

 the ants : a favourite position of the beetle is on tlie scape of the 

 antenna of an ant : here it hooks itself on lirmly, and is carried 

 about by the ant. Like so many other ants'-nest l)eetles, 

 Thorictidae possess tufts of golden hair, which secrete some 

 substance, the flavour of which is appreciated Ijy the ants ; these 

 tufts in Thorictidae are situated either at the hind angles of the 

 pronotum, or on tlie under surface of the body on each side of the 

 breast ; Wasmann thinks that .when the beetles are riding about, 



as above described, the ants have then 

 an opportunity of getting at the patches 

 on tlie under surface. 



Fam. 36. Erotylidae. — Tarsi five- 

 Jolnfed, but n'ith the fourth, usujdly very 

 small, the first three more or less broad 

 and'puheseent beneath. Antennae strongly 

 clubbed. Front and middle coxed aceta- 

 hula round, without anyidar prolongation 

 Fig. 117.— Tritoma hijmstuiaia. externally ; five visible ventrcd segments. 

 Erotylidae. Britain. A, Larva This is now a large and important family 



(after Perris) ; B. perfect Insect. ... ^..^^^ . , .. ^ ■ r, 



oi about 1800 species, but it is chiefly 

 exotic and tropical, its members haunting the fungoid growths 



^ Ritseina, Catalogue of Helota, Xotcs Lcydcn Mus. xiii. 1891, p. 223, and xv. 

 1893, p. 160. 



