132 On a new Species of Insect of I he Genus Conjncies. 



have been treated in this way; but the aperture had not pene- 

 trated to the forepart of the body: the cavities of the belly and 

 stomach were untouched, and filled with a blackish earth, with 

 which were mixed tb.e fte^hy parts, which had fallen into a fat and 

 unctuous powder in conseciuence of the hiunidity which had pe- 

 netrated tlicm. The arms crossed over the breast were still in 

 their place. 



On examinintj the hands attentively, we perceived in the in- 

 terstices of the fingers several dead coleoptexx: of a rose colour 

 in all its brilliancy, and two or three lines in length. This in- 

 sect being new to us, we collected all that could be found, with 

 the view of obtaining better information respecting it. 



A short time afterwards an opportunity ])resented itself of 

 showing them to M. Jurine, of Geneva, whose opinion con- 

 vinced us that we did well in preserving these (o/ecpterce, which 

 will furnish to the nomenclature of entomologi'-ts a new species 

 of a genus by no means numerous. Vv'e sul^join M. Jurine's 

 description. 



" Generic denomination. — Corynctes of Fabricius. Necrolia 

 of Olivier. 



" Specific ditto. — Sj)ecies non descript, which holds the mid- 

 dle rank between the corynctes ni/ipes and the corynctes abdo- 

 minalis, but which is neither the one nor the other." M. de 

 Jurine is desirous to name it the corynctes glaher. 



Here \ve have a new s.pccies well determined, and the more 

 interesting because the genus corynctes is new, and we know 

 only two species, both of them exotic ; while the insect ob- 

 served at Grenoble, which is also exotic, will form the third. 



There cannot be a doubt that it was brought to Europe with 

 the mummv, since it was found in the inside of the body under 

 several envelopes: but how and when did it take up its residence 

 there ? It will not be easy to answer this question. M. de 

 Jurine, v.hom it has not escaped, is inclined to thiidi that the 

 larvK of the insect have been introduced into the tnunmiy since 

 it came out of its sepulchral deposit ; viz. when it fell into the 

 hands of the Arabs half a century ago, and was sent direct from 

 Cairo to Grenoble by M. de ^lure, then French Consul in 

 Egypt. 



It may also be fairly conjectured, that the residence of the 

 msect under the envelopes of the munnny is of a much older 

 date, particularly when we consider that, the larva; of the co- 

 rynctes being carnivorous, the desiccation of the body when the 

 Arabs removed it from the tomb, or the well, co\ild not be very 

 attractive to it, nor suit its voracious appetite. It is also natural 

 to suppose, from the method of embalment practised on thi-s 

 niuuiuiy, by submitting the body to several operations made in 



the 



