BRACHELYTRA. 91 



male the head is much enlarged, the forehead hollowed, 

 with a horn on each side stretching forwards, and the 

 mandibles also armed each with another horn, larger than 

 itself. 



Occasionally specimens of the male occur in which 

 these characters are developed to an inordinate extent. 



Lastly, the MICROPEPLID.E, also represented by a single 

 germs, have the spiracles hidden and thorax horny, as in 

 the last family ; the anterior coxae not prominent, and 

 the posterior globose ; the front and hind legs distant at 

 the base ; the tarsi three-jointed ; and the antennae nine- 

 jointed, knobbed, and fitting into grooves. 



Their sculpture is very remarkable, the entire upper 

 surface being strongly costated or divided by longitu- 

 dinal ridges ; on account of which, added to their knobbed 

 antennae and short compact form, they have often been 

 classed among the Nitidulida, somewhat resembling also 

 certain species of Onthophilus. 



Micropeplus mar garlics (Plate V, Fig. 6), found like 

 its congeners in vegetable refuse, is not uncommon ; 

 and M. tesserula, the rarest species, taken in Scotland, 

 may be known by its polished appearance. 



