﻿158 BIIITISII BEETLES, 



mies, such as Anihrenns, Dermestes, Psocus, the larv?e 

 of certain Tinece, and — worst of all — the lazy, footless, 

 white, fat " mite/' which so often cleans ont all the 

 ligaments of specimens, leaving the mere outer husk, 

 ready to fall to pieces on being manipulated, and often 

 pierced in more than one place by its voracious tenant. 

 A single application of benzine to any insect supposed to 

 be so infested will destroy the parasite, which usually 

 signifies its presence hy dropping a little heap of fine 

 yellow dust utiderneath the specimen on which it is feed- 

 inir : nevertheless, a second or third dose should be ad- 

 ministered on a future occasion, as the fluid has no 

 effect upon any eggs which may happen to have been 

 deposited in the body of the insect. 



Both Gnathocerus and TriboUum are small, flat, yellow 

 beetles ; but the species of Hypophlmis are very different, 

 both in shape and habits, presenting a certain likeness 

 to Rhizophagus, on account of their linear cylindrical 

 form. They are found under bark, or in galleries, where 

 tlieir larv?e (as in the last-mentioned genus) prey on 

 the larvae of certain wood-feeding beetles. //. bicolor, a 

 pretty little red species with the apical half of the elytra 

 black, is found not uncommonly under elm bark, where 

 its larvae feed on those of certain ScoJyti. The species 

 of A/phitobius sometimes resemble certain of tbc Der- 

 mestidfe ; they are black in colour, and are probably im- 

 ported, being found in warehouses, etc., where their 

 larvae feed in flour, etc. 



The Tenebhionid.e here are represented by out; 

 genus, Tcnebrio, the two species of which are known in 

 their larval state as " the meal-worm," a favourite food 

 for singing-birds. It has been remarked that meal- 

 worms obtained from the cast end of London usually 



