BEETLES. 



399 



Klfi. 495. — Metritis contrac- 

 tus, enlargeii. 



4 tl — Elnphiu\ I pi lut 



Metritis contrnrtns, fi-om Cnlifuniia, is the siiinlc s|iccics iv)irpseiitiiin' a trihe which 

 differs from Sulfites in liaviiiy the Ixuly iicit |ii'(luiiciilatc ancl the posterior coxae sepa- 

 rated. Tliis beetle is found under stones in forests. 



The genus Khiplirtis differs from the genera nf Caralpina' 

 ah'eady mentioned in h;i\ing the antenna' free at the liase. In 

 this genus the form is roKnst, tlie mandililes iiave a setigerous 

 puncture, and tlie elytra are m.arked with iinjiressed spots. Tlie 

 species of this tienus are found I'unning .■iliout in tlie sunlight on 



the snrf.-icc of tli(^ mud .arouml the 

 Imrdersof ponds and pimls. The 

 color of m.any of the species is a 

 par[ilish (U- ureenisli hronze. E. ri- 

 pariits, which is figured, is about 

 (l."i;') of an inch long, an<f is com- 

 mon in parts of Europe. In Hh- 



tlilsK the elytr.'i have stria' between the impressed spots. 

 /)'. tiiidtiji/n/ciatii is a European species that has been 

 founil in ^Vmerica. According to Laudoit, E. riparius and £. iiiidtiprin<i(ita stridulate 

 by rubbingr the upper side of the jn'iiultimate ab(huninal segment 

 against the inside of the elytra, both the parts rubbed together beim; 

 provided with surfaces suitable for sonifaction. 



The typical gemis of this family is ('urtthus, which is represented in 

 North America by only aliout ten species, reaches its highest develo]>- 

 ment in Euro|ie, where a laigc number of s]iecies are found. In this 

 gentis tlie anterior coxal cavities afe o|)eii behiiul, the posterior coxie 

 are contiguous, the labrum not bifurcate, the mandibles williout a 

 setigerous ])uncturc 

 cylindrical 



.ind many ha\e beautiful coloration. Their food consists of earth- 

 worms, caterpillars, and other insects. The species of Carafius, and 

 those of the allied genera (\ih>s<>mii and Ci/c/iri/s, haye well-deyel- 

 oped anal glands, and throvy a strong acid fluid. '". serrafus is the 

 most abundant species in the northeastern T'nited States. It is fi'om 

 II. (id to (I.T."i of an iiudi long, is black, with the upturned mari^ins of 

 the protliora\ .and elytra bluish, and its elytra are punctate. C. 

 .■ii/li-osits, from the same region, is similar to C serrnfiis. but larger, 

 being about an inch long. One of the prettiest of tlu' common 

 European species is <\ unratus, \;\\\c\\ is nearly .an in<-h in lennth, 

 :nnl has the entire ujijier surface greenish bronze with a reddish re- 

 ■/Iitlieatiis, another European species, the elytra, which are often con- 

 nate in this genus, are so firmly united that the suture between them is scarcely 

 noticeable. <\ hispanits, from Sjiain and southern France, is about 1.4 inches long; 

 and the elytra are coarsely punctured, and reddish bron/.e margined with blue, while 

 the head .and the prothorax are metallic blue. Procrustes differs but little from 

 Ciirabus. P. coriaceiis, a black s)iccies, nearly 1.5 inches long, is found throuoliout 

 southern Eurojie. 



(' V/M.'srt/^rt iliffers generieally from Carahus in having the third antemial joint 

 compressed. The habits of the species of this genus .are very similar to those of 



'xfernally, and the thinl joint of the .antenna' Vi^'-i'-n.—isuihisa 



' . niallipuncfata. 



Most ot the spei'ies are ot medium, some of large size. 



Fig. 4a8. — ( ■imihus 

 sfirratus. 



flection. In ( ' 



