BEETLES. 



381 



mill, accnnlino; to ^loufflct, tho larva of a species of Bothrideres, fotuid in Guadaloupe, 

 is an intoriia! parasite of larva3 of Lagochirus araneiformis, a ceranibycid beetle. 



The usually fattened sjiecies of Nitidulid-E have antenna^ of eleven joints; these 

 antenna^ are inserted under the front, aud Iiavo au apical clulj of three (rarely two) 

 joints; the tarsi are variable, l)ut more or loss dilated, and their first joint is not short; 

 the anterior coxre are transverse and not jirominent, the posterior ones flat and not 

 sulcati'; the Labial jialpi are .approximate at the base ; the ventral seo-nients are free, 

 and the legs short. These beetles and their larva3 feed in decomposini;- aninuil or 

 vegetable matter, in fungi and higher plants of soft texture, under Ijark of decayini; 

 trees, on pollen, and an Australian species, JJnichi/pepl//^ auriUis, eats the wax in nests 

 of bees of the genus Tru/ona. 



The species of i/.w have tlie antennal club made u)i of three joints, tlie Ial)ruui 

 connate with the epistoma, tlie anterior coxie open, and the thorax not 

 margined at the base. I. f(i.<ri.(it)is. common throughout the TTnited 

 States, is shining black, witli a liaiul or spot of yellow across the base, 

 and another just beliind tin' middle of eacii elytron. It eats decompos- 

 ing animal ami vegetable matter, being especially common in autumn 

 ujioii decaying pmmpkius or cabbage-stalks which have been left in the 

 fields. Ijys ferriiginea, of P^urope is said to feed upon larvK of IL/lesi- 

 nus pimperda. Species of Tps, and of otlicr Xitidulida?, also frecpient 

 stumps of freshly-cut lurch .and iiia]ile trees e.arly in tlie spring, in tinier to eat the 

 sap which oozes from them. 



In O^iO.s^Y'/ the labrum is enlire and free, the head horizontal, the jirothorax not 

 margined at the base, the tarsi moderately dilated, and the front not lobed over the 

 antenna.'. O. colon is found iu the eastern United States and 

 ill Euro]ie. It is about 0.1 "2 of an inch long, much flattened, 

 is dee] I brown, sjiotted n]ion the elytra with light brown; it 

 frequents decomposing animal and vegetable matter. O. dis- 

 cold<:a, a slightly more elongate form than (>. colon, inhabits 

 Eurojie and the western United States. 



Of similar form to Oniosita, but differing from it structurally 

 in ha\in'4' stron^lv dil:ited tarsi and feebly emarginate labruni, 

 are the species of Isitidula, of which iV^ bijnistidata is found 

 ill Euro])e and the eastern United States.- This sjiccics is 

 about 0.'2 of an inch long, and dark brown with a light-brown 

 spot near the mi<ldle of each elytron. Its 

 habits are similar to those of Omosita. 



Dr. G. H. Horn writes of Ccapop/n/ns, "Labrum bilobed. 

 Antennfe eleven-jointed, terminated by a flattened-oval, three- 

 jointed club, grooves moderately deep, convergent. Legs mod- 

 erately robust, tibire slightly broader at tip, spurs moderate. 

 T.arsi dilated, claws siinjilc. Two, sometimes three, dorsal seg- 

 ments visible beyond the elytra ; abdomen beneath with segments 

 2-3 short, 1— t-.') longer." C. hemipterus, a species about 0.1.5 

 of an inch long, distributed over most ]iarts of the globe. It 

 is dark brown, with jiale spots ujion the elytra. 



In Conoteliis the abiloniiual segments are greatly prolonged, so that the abdomen 

 projects far beyond the elytra, as it does in the Staphylinidas. C obscu7-us, a black 



Fig. AH. — Xilidiiln bijiiis- 

 tiilata. 



Fig. 445. — Crirpnpldlus 

 ?ii 7iiip/rnfs. 



