CHAPTER XIV. 



PSEUDOTRIMERA. 



We now conie to the last section of tlie Beetles, the Pseudo- 

 TRiMERA. This name is compounded of three Greek words, 

 signifying ' false three-joints,' and is given to the insects on 

 account of the structure of their tarsi, which appear to have 

 only three joints, though in reality they have four joints ; the 

 missing joint, which is the third, being very minute, and 

 hidden within the douhly-lobed second joint. Tula structure 

 can be seen by reference to Woodcut XXIV. Fig. e, which 

 represents the leg of a Lady-bird. 



The first family of these Beetles, the Erotylid^, can be dis- 

 tinguished by the bold three-jointed club of the antennae, and 

 the large flattened club-shaped last joint of the maxillary 

 palpi. One example of this family is Triplax russica, which 

 is represented on Woodcut XXIII. Fig. 5. In this genus the 

 body is oblong and the antennae rather stout, and the club has 

 the last joint blunt and egg-shaped, and the other two joints 

 transverse. The generic name, Triplax, is formed from two 

 Greek words, signifying ' three-plated,' and is given to this 

 genus on account of this structure of the club. 



The present species is the largest of the genus, although it 

 never exceeds a quarter of an inch in length. The head and 

 thorax of this insect are red, and the elytra are deep blue- 

 black. The abdomen is reddish, and the whole sm-face is 

 shining. All the species of this genus live in fungi ; and in such 

 localities may be found this insect, which is not very common, 

 but is more plentiful than seems to be the case on account of 

 its way of hiding itself within the fungi. There is another 

 genus belonging to this family, called Engis, the members of 

 which are found in similar localities. They are pretty little 

 beings — shining, rather convex, and elongated, and usually dark- 



