﻿134 BRITISH BEETLES. 



a dozen of C. dermestoides (which is not superficially un- 

 like the Throsms with a similar trivial appellation) skip- 

 ping about, on removing a stone on the shore of Loch 

 Rannoch. 



The north of England seems to be more productive of 

 the larger species than the south ; where, indeed, but 

 few of the Elaterida can be said to abound. The males 

 of some of the metallic species [Corymbites cupreus and 

 pectimcornis) have the antennce very strongly flabel- 

 lated ; and in Synaptus, Agriotes (the larvse of certain 

 common species of which are known as the " wire- worm " 

 above alluded to), S>ericosomus , Dolophis, and Adrastiis, 

 the head is almost vertical instead of transverse. 



The Campylides have the head exserted, with the 

 eyes very prominent and freed from the thorax ; the la- 

 brum deflexed ; no chin-piece to the prosternum ; the 

 metasternum sharply narrowed in front, with the inter- 

 mediate coxpe approximated ; the mandibles projecting, 

 straight at the base and curved at the apex ; the last 

 joint of the maxillary palpi often oval or subcylindric ; 

 and the tarsi not lamellated beneath. 



Our solitary species, Camjnjlus linearis, is chiefly 

 noticeable from the great variation in colour often seen 

 in the female. 



Through this sub-family the passage is easy to the 

 next section, by means of the Cebrionidce, and other 

 families not found in Britain. 



M. E. Candeze has monographed the Elaterida of 

 the world in four vols. (Liege, 1857-63) ; and his work 

 is indispensable to the student of the family. 



