﻿THE NECROPHAGA, OR CLAVICORNES. 93 



The S1LPHID.E exhibit a considerable affinity to the 

 Brachelytra ; having the elytra more or less truncate, 

 with the apex of the abdomen exposed and the coxae 

 free, the anterior pair being exserted. Their larvae, 

 also, are much alike, differing principally in the posses- 

 sion of a labrum by those of the Silphidce. They are 

 divided into two subfamilies, the Silphides and Cholevides; 

 having the mandibles strong and reaching beyond the 

 labrum, which is distinct ; the antennae not elbowed ; 

 the tarsi, with one exception, five-jointed, and mostly 

 with the front pair widened at the base in the male ; 

 and the posterior coxae approximated, with the trochan- 

 ters projecting. The Silphides comprise the well- 

 known " Sexton " or " Burying " beetles, found in dead 

 animals ; which, if not too large, they contrive to drag 

 beneath the ground, several individuals of both sexes 

 often uniting in the work, and tli^e females laying their 

 eggs in the buried carcase. Some of them are also 

 occasionally found in fungi, or in decaying fish on the 

 seashore. They belong to the genus Necrojihorus, the 

 largest in size of all the section (except Hydrous), and 

 have strongly-clubbed ten -jointed antennae, being often 

 adorned with orange-coloured bands (Plate VI, Fig. 1, 

 N. mortuorum). They fly strongly, smell somewhat of 

 musk, and exude a fetid black fluid from the mouth. 

 Their larvae, also carrion-feeders, have cylindrical fleshy 

 bodies and weak legs. 



The Silphce are smaller, flat, with less strongly clubbed 

 eleven-jointed antennae, and broad, flat, horny, active, 

 strong-legged larvae. 



The Cholevides are all smaller and narrower insects, 

 occurring gregariously in decaying animal or vegetable 

 matter. Their tibiae are not armed with spines on the 



