COLEOPTEUA. MELANDRYID^. 307 



of the three terminal joints of the maxillary palpi, which are often 

 serrated and deflexed (^Jig. 35. 15. head of Serropalpus.). The an- 

 tennas are occasionally inserted in a notch in the eyes, and are 

 generally short and filiform ; the mandibles (j%. 35. 17.) are short and 

 often bifid at the tips {fig- 35. IG. represents the labrum, and 35. 18. 

 the labium of Serropalpus) ; and the tarsal claws are entire. The body 

 is generally elongate and subcylindric or depressed (^^7. 35. 13. Me- 

 landrya Caraboides), not unlike that of the Elateridte ; occasionally it 

 is more ovate, with the head inflexed, and the thorax broadest behind ; 

 the head is not advanced into a rostrum, and the posterior femora are 

 never clavate ; the penultimate joint of the tarsi is generally bilobed, 

 at least in the two anterior pair of legs ; in those species in which it is 

 entire, the hind legs are formed for leaping, being long and com- 

 pressed with slender tarsi. 



These insects chiefly reside beneath the bark of trees. It is in 

 such situations that I have observed the rare Phloiotrya (Serropalpus) 

 rufipes, the larva of which (under the name of Xylita buprestoides) is 

 described by Mr. MacLeay in the Hora Entomologicoi (vol. ii. p. 464.) 

 as belonging to the Thysanuriform, but approximating to the luliform 

 larvae. It is whitish, elongate, scaly, thickest at the middle and tail, 

 convex above, concave beneath ; the head semiglobose, short triarti- 

 culate antennae, mandibles short, but acute ; the second segment of 

 the body large, subthoraciform, ami apparently composed of two seg- 

 ments ; anterior feet large, compressed, and hooked, and extending 

 nearly to the top of the head ; the two posterior pairs much smaller, 

 the third segment of the body shortest ; the remainder gradually 

 lengthened to the twelfth, which is convex, with strongly impressed 

 points; and the thirteenth segment is furnished with two sharp horny 

 appendages curved upwards. It was found, in company with the 

 perfect insect, in the solid wood of an old oak in Hampshire, by Mr. 

 Samouelle. (See also Mr. Children's notice of a nearly similar larva 

 in the Appendix to Captain Hack's Voyage to the North Pole, 1836.) 



Schall. Act. Hall. vol. i. 

 Hellenius. Act. Holm. 1786. 

 Schdlenhcrii. Kiit. Bcitraj^e. t. i. 

 Sc/ionhcrr, in Act. Holm. 1801). 

 Walker. Ent. Mag. vol. iv. p. 83. 

 And the general works of GyUeuhall, Payhull, S^c. 



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