146 COLEOPTERA 



parasite, but in this case upon wasps and not bees — the 

 Rhipiphoriis paradoxus. This beetle is about three- 

 eighths-of-an-inch long, and makes its home in the nests 

 of the Wasps ( Vespa rufa and vulgaris), and preys upon 

 the young wasp grubs. Mr. Stone, Mr. Andrew Murray, 

 and Dr. Chapman have personally investigated this in- 

 teresting point. The Woolhope Club Transactions for 

 1870 contain an admirable paper by the last-named 

 gentleman, on " The Life History of Rhipiphorus para- 

 doxus." In the division of the Atrachella I shall 

 mention only the Churchyard-beetle {Blaps mo7'tisaga). 

 In this family (Blaptidce) the wing-cases are soldered 

 together, and the wings are absent. The beetles are 

 found in damp, dark, dismal dens, and are themselves 

 dull in colour and sluggish in habit. Many possess a 

 most nauseous odour, and they are very tenacious of 

 life, being able to revive after some hours' immersion in 

 spirits of wine. 



The section of the Tetramera (or Pseudotetramera) 

 is divided into three groups, viz., the Ehyncophora 

 (Snout-beetles), the Longicornes (Long-horned-beetles), 

 and the Phytophaga (Plant-eaters). 



The Rhyncophora will be known to my readers by 

 the popular name of weevils ; some have very long 

 snouts, others short ones. It is a destructive tribe of 

 beetles, and does immense damage to trees and various 

 grains, and fruits. The larva of the Corn Weevil 

 (Bruchus granaris) does much mischief in granaries ; 

 the Nut- weevil {Balaninus nucum), with her elongated 

 rostrum, which eats a hole in the soft nut, in which 

 she deposits an &gg, and which, turning to a larvn, eats 

 the kernel, and leaves you the bitter dusty contents ; 



