﻿178 BRITISH BEETLES. 



sional characters, ai'e distinguislied by their antennae 

 being eleven-jointed, slightly thickened towards the apex, 

 serrated, or pectinated ; their emarginate eyes ; broad, 

 short, flat, deflexed, scrobe-less rostrum, which has the 

 labrum and palpi distinct; exposed pygidium, and thick- 

 ened hinder legs ; and by the basal joint of their hind 

 tarsi being long and curved. Our single genus, Bruchus, 

 comprises some small, oblong beetles, usually leaden- 

 black in colour, and variegated with grey or white pu- 

 bescence, arranged in indistinct bands or spots. Their 

 males are usually distinguished by the denticulation, 

 etc., of the inner side of the middle tibiae. One species, 

 B.pisi, found in peas, is in all probability imported from 

 abroad ; but B. rufimanus, almost equally large, abounds 

 in bean-fields, etc., in the south of England; all the 

 members of the genus, indeed, being more or less attached 

 to leguminous plants, and consequently noxious to man. 

 Their larvae live in the seeds, consuming all the internal 

 parts, and changing to pupa wdthin the skin ; the perfect 

 insect escaping through a circular hole, previously bitten 

 by the larva for that purpose. 



The Anthribid^ have the antennae eleven-jointed, 

 and terminated by a short, abrupt three-jointed club, 

 the eyes not notched, short transverse scrobes to their 

 wide, deflexed rostrum, the pygidium not exposed, and 

 the second joint of the tarsi bi-lobed. The males are 

 usually distinguished by the superior length of their 

 antennae. These insects are all of considerable rarity, 

 and of some beauty, though not peculiar for delicacy of 

 outline. They frequent old wood, dead twigs, etc.^ and 

 are usually found in the early part of summer. 



Bracfiytarsus scabrosus (Plate XI, Fig. 4) is occasionally 

 taken in May-blossom in the London district, also 



