THE S1VLA.LL EOVE BEETLES. 69 



even one species that inhabits the nest of the sand martin. 

 In the course of the following- pages we shall come upon 

 several of these curious Beetles. 



Our first example of this family is Fcdagria sulcata — it is 

 drawn on Woodcut No. VII. Fig. 1. There are four species of this 

 genus, which is distinguished by the large head, which is very 

 distinct from the thorax, the first joint of the tarsus long, and 

 the bases of the elytra without wrinkles. The structure of the 

 antennae can be seen by reference to Fig. g in the same illustra- 

 tion ; the maxillary palpus is shown at d, the right mandible 

 at e, and the labial palpi at /. 



All the Beetles belonging to this genus are very small, and 

 many of them may be captured with an ordinary butterfiy-net, 

 while on the wing. Some of the Brachelytra are so exceedingly 

 minute that the best plan to procure them is the ' catch-em- 

 alive-oh' principle. A few sheets of white paper should be 

 brushed over with very pure gum-water and left to dry, when 

 they will be useful at any time. When the entomologist wishes 

 to capture these minute creatures, all he has to do is to choose 

 a warm sunshiny day, damp one of these giunmed sheets, and 

 wave it about under trees until it is dry. On examining it, a 

 number of tiny blackish specks mil generall} be seen, and most 

 of these, when a lens is brought to bear on them, prove to be 

 Brachelytra. The same paper can be used over and over again, 

 the captured insects being removed with the point of a fine 

 camel-hair pencil dipped in water. The species which we are now 

 examining is shining brownish-black in colour. The thorax is 

 rather heart-shaped, and along the centre runs a very deep 

 furrow, reaching to the scutellum. The elytra are very wide, 

 smooth, and slightly sunk at the base. The legs and base of 

 the antennae are brick-red. This specimen is a very curious 

 one, and may be found in all parts of England, buried in fungi 

 and decaying vegetable matter. 



The typical genus Aleoc?tara has the head deeply sunk into the 

 thorax, which is convex and broad. The elytra are broader 

 than they are long. The abdomen has a flattened margin 

 along the sides, and the tarsi have five joints, the basal joint of 

 the hinder tarsi being longest. The antennae are short, stout, an(? 

 the fourth and tenth joints are of equal length. 



