468 



COLEOPTERA. 



at fii'st sight some Staphylinidae ; they frequent flowers aiid 

 the bank's of ponds and streams. The females of 3Iicrolipus 

 are apterous. 



ri?. 43.-). 



Clerid^e Kirby. These beautiful flower beetles are known 

 by the prominent head, the usually emarginate eyes, and 

 the usually eleven-jointed antennae inserted at the sides of 

 the front, and either serrate or pectinate, with the outer joints 

 enlarged, forming a serrate, or rarely a compact club. Their 

 bodies are slender, with slender legs. 

 They are rapid in their movements, 

 and run like ants (which the}^ much 

 resemble when in motion) over flowers 

 and trees to feed on the sweets and 

 sap. The larvae are carnivorous and infest the nests of bees. 

 They are flattened, hairy grubs, the tip of the abdomen end- 

 ing in two horny points. Those of the genera 

 Corynetes and Xecrobia live on dead animal 

 matter. 



In Priocera (Fig. A'M'>. V. undnlata >Say) the eyes 

 are coarsely grannlatcd ; the antennae are serrate, 

 and the maxillary palpi are cylindrical. In 

 Elasmocerus (E. tenninatus Sa3% S, Fig. 436) the antennae are 

 ten-jointed, the last joint being very long and flat. 



The genus Trkliodes is known by the maxillarj- palpi being 

 somewhat dilated, otherwise it agrees with the succeeding 



genus. T. Nnttcdlii Kirby is 

 abundant in August on the 

 flowers of Spiraea alba ; its larva 

 is to be looked for in the nests 

 of bees. In Eiu-ope T. apiarina 

 Linn. (Fig. 437; a, larva; b. 

 pupa) has long been known to 

 devour the young bees. In its 

 perfect state it is lound on 

 flowers. 



In Clerus the head is large, the eyes not very prominent, 

 finely granulated, the antennal club is somewhat triangular ; 

 the maxillary palpi are not dilated, and the posterior tarsi arc 



