﻿156 BRITISH BEETLES. 



P. cadaverina, a clear yellowish convex insect, with a 

 suffused black patch in the middle of each elytron, 

 occurs in decaying animal matter, and at the roots of 

 maritime plants, in sandy places on the coast ; being 

 common at Shoeburyness, at the roots of Sedum. 



The BoLiTOPHAGiD^, in company with several of the 

 succeeding families, have their tarsi clothed on the 

 under side with short hairs; a similar structure being 

 only exhibited by the Pedhrlda among the preceding 

 families of this section. Their antennae are partly re- 

 ceived in repose into a transverse furrow of the head ; 

 the labial palpi are widely separated at the base ; and 

 the a])ical joint of the maxillary palpi is not hatchet- 

 shaped. 



They live entirely on boleti, and are apparently gre- 

 garious. 



Bolifophof/us crenatus, in which the eyes are divided, 

 and the thorax crenulated at the sides, is dull black in 

 colour, and has strong rows of punctures alternating 

 witli linear elevations, on its elytra. It is found in the 

 north of England, and is much larger than the com- 

 moner Eledona cujaricola, a convex, oval, dull dirty 

 brown insect, in which the eyes are of the normal struc- 

 ture, and the thorax is not roughened at the sides. As 

 in many fungus- and wood-feeders, individuals of both 

 these species sometimes occur in Avhich the colour is 

 much lighter than usual. 



The DiAPKRiD.E present a considerable resemblance 

 to certain of the Chrysomelidce, from which their five- 

 jointed front and middle tarsi will at once distinguish 

 them. They are metallic, smooth, and more or less 

 briglit in colour, with their eyes not entire and their 

 antennae gradually Avidened to the apex. In Dicqyens 



