246 MODERN CLASSIFICATION OF INSECTS. 



under-stems, but is never observed upon flowers. This author con- 

 siders that it undergoes its transformations in decaying trees, as he 

 once observed a newly disclosed specimen sitting near the entrance 

 of a burrow. They fly and walk but slowly, appearing very inactive 

 in the perfect state. 



The only British genus (but which is placed by Curtis in the family 

 Telephoridte) is Atopa, comprising but a single species, A. cervina 

 (^fig- 25. 11., fig. 12. tarsus, ^^. 13. underside of the thorax of the 

 same), which is not uncommon in hedges, appearing to be attached to 

 chalky districts. The maxillse and labium are terminated by long and 

 slender hirsute lobes. Mr. Curtis has made some interesting obser- 

 vations upon the economy of this insect in his British Entomology. 



The second family, Cypiionid^, is a group of beetles detached from 

 the foregoing, on account of their small size, hemispheric, depressed, 

 or ovate, and rather soft bodies {^fig. 25. 18. Eubria palustris, lately 

 captured in Scotland by the Rev. Mr. Little), and furcate labial 

 palpi i^fig. 25. 19. labium of Cyphon melanurus) : the mandibles are 

 but slightly exposed : they are of dull colours, and are attached to 

 plants in damp situations, and they fly and run with considerable 

 agility. I have met with many individuals of Cyphon pallidus in the 

 middle of winter, secreted in the stems of reeds, growing at Ham- 

 mersmith. In some species, the hind legs are saltatorial, with the 

 thighs dilated {^fig. 25. 21. hind leg of Scyrtes); in the others they 

 are simple {fig. 25. 20. hind leg of Cyphon). 



The third family LAMPYRiDJEf, or the glowworms, having for its 

 type the genus Lampyris Linn., is distinguished by having the body 



* BiBLioGR. Refer, to the CyehonidjE. 

 Germar. Mag. der Entomol. vols. iii. and iv. 

 Ahrevs. Fauna Ins. Kur. Fasc. 5. 

 Giierin. Icon. R. An. 

 Stephens, Gyllenliall, &c. 



f BiBLioGR. Refer, to the Lampyrju.?:. 

 Laportc, in Ann. Soc. Ent. de France, 1833. (Revision of Lampyris.) 

 ifrwsj, in Guerin, Mag. Zool. vol. iii. pi. 99. (G. IVIalacogaster. ) 



