140 MODERN CLASSIFICATION OF INSECTS. 



for one of the insects which change their skin ; and in one of the 

 comedies of Aristophanes it is said to emit a disagreeable odom*. 

 Hence some authors have regarded it as a Blatta. As it is impossible, 

 however, to decide upon the real application of the name, it would be 

 absurd to alter the Linnasan nomenclature. 



The species of Necrophorus are the giants of the family, and 

 indeed of the stirps Necrophaga. They have the elytra generally 

 marked by broad irregular orange-coloured bands, and not covering 

 the extremity of the abdomen. The other genera comprise species 

 of black or obscure colours. 



The genus Agyrtes Frolich, consisting of a single species, A. cas- 

 taneus (incorrectly introduced into the English Fauna by Dr. Leach), 

 is distinguished by the oval and convex form of the body, the longer 

 and incrassated palpi, and the gradually thickened antennas ; the 

 tibiae are compressed and spined. A species of the genus Peltidion 

 St. Farg and Serv. (Peltis Fab., which Mr. Stephens introduces 

 into the family Silphidjs, but which is nearer allied to Thymalus) 

 has also been improperly introduced into the English lists. The two 

 last noticed genera thus indicate a passage to the following families. 



The third family Nitidulid.^ * MacLeay (Nitidularias Latr.^ is 

 nearly allied to the preceding family in the general economy of the 

 insects of which it is composed, many of which are found amongst 

 bones and other animal remains ; others, however, frequent various 

 fungi, or reside beneath the bark of trees ; whilst some of the smaller 



* BiBLioGR. Refer, to the Nitidulid^. 

 Kugellan in Schneider. Mag. vol. iv. 

 Illiger in ditto, vol. v. — Ditto, Kafer Preuss. vol. i. 

 Laicharting . Verz. Tyroler. Ins. Zur. 1781. 

 Panzer. Der Naturforscher St. 24. 

 Latreille. Gen. Cr. &c. vol. ii. 

 Say. Journ. Acad. Scienc. Philadelph. vol. iii. 

 Kirhij, in Trans. Linn. Soc. vol. xii. 

 Perty. Delect. Anim. Articul. Braz., and Introduction to ditto (G. Rogodon-Psi- 



lotus. Fischer. ) 

 Dolman. Ephem. Entomol. (G. Acrops. ) 

 Erichson, in Nova. Acta. vol. xvi. 



Fischer, in Bullet. Soc. Imp. Nat. de Moscow, 1829 (G. Psilotus) ; ditto, vol. vi. 

 Trans. Acad. Roy. Naples, vol. i. and the general works of Fahricins, Olivier, 

 Stephe7is, Gyllenhall, Sfc. 



