SOFT-WmOED TREDACEOUS BEETLES. ](»9 



diiim size, often prettily colored with orange and blue, and their surface 

 is usually more or less pubescent or hairy. They are oblong in form, 

 and the thorax is considerably narrower than the elytra. 



These insects are purely carnivorous. The larvii' are sometimes found 

 under the bark of dead trees, in company with the small wood-eating 

 larvte, upon which they subsist. Others are found in the nests of ants, 

 and still others in the dried carcases of dead animals. 



The genera of Clerida' is as follows : 



A. Tarsi 5-.|ointed; thorax rounded at the sides, without a sharp margin. 

 15. First tarsal .joint of ordinary length ; body much elongated. 



C. AntiMina' Ui-jointed. th(> last very long and tlat Ei.AS.MOCERrs, I .sp. 



C C. Antenna' ll-.jointod ; serrate bnt little enl.arged at tip. 



D. Eyes lincly granulated Tii.i.us, 1 . 



1) D. Eyes coarsely granulated C ym.vtokek a, 17. 



B P.. First tarsal .joint usually small and concealed beneath the second ; body moderately elongated. 

 E. Eyes notched, and of moderate size ; bead not wider than thorax, 

 l'". All the palpi enlarged at the tip ; body coarsely punctured and very hairy : antennal 



clul) triangular TlUcilOl 'Ks, 6 . 



F F. Only the labial palpi enlarged ; body moderately punctured and hidry ; antfunal 



club long and loose Cr-EKUS, 29. 



E E. Eyes very large and entire ; head much wider than the thorax Hydnoceua, '.?2. 



A A. Tarsi l-jointed; thorax with a narrow but distinct lateral margin. 



G. Antenna' strongly serrate at the end E.voi'liim, 4 . 



G G. Antenna' terminating in a 3-jointed flattened club Nkcuoulv. 5. 



The genera Clerus and ITydnocera are the most numerous in si)ecies, 

 some of which are sutticiently common. CleriiSj Geollioy, with which 

 we include Tha7ummns, Latr., and Thaneroclerua, Spin., contains a inim- 

 ber of prettily marked species, which are sometimes seen running over 

 prostrate logs in the forest, in search probably of small wood-eating 

 larvai. The CIcrus duhius, Fab., is a little more than three-tenths of an 

 inch long, of a steel-blue color, the elytra crossed by three ornnge 

 bands. The C. nujrifron.s, Say, is upwards of two-tenths, of a tawny 

 yellow color, the elytra cinereous behind, including a broad bhick 

 band ; there is a black spot on the front, and the venter is black. 

 C. nif/rqu's, Say, is very similar, but the frontal spot is wanting and the 

 venter is red. The C. miifjuineus, Say, is of the same size as the last, 

 with the tliorax brown and the elytra scarlet. 



The llyduocera' are small and obscure insects, less than a (juarter of 

 an inch in length, but easily distinguished by their large prominent 

 eyes, which cause the head to be wider than the thorax. They are often 

 beaten from the leaves of forest trees. 



The genus Trichodcs, llerbst, contains a number of very hairy and 

 prettily banded species, the larva' of which (U'-vour the larvje of certain 

 kinds of bees. Some are found in the nests of the mason-bees, antl the 

 I^uropean T. ajyiarius has been known to be very destructive to the hive- 

 bee. 



The Xccrohia viol(ic(^, Uliv., a small dark-blue or greenish beetle, 

 three-twentieths of an inch in length, has been imported from Euroi^e. 



