THE NECROPHAGA, OR CLAVICORNES. 97 



very long, and are strongly clubbed ; the mandibles are 

 very strong, and, with the labrum above, and mentum 

 below, nearly close up the mouth ; the paraglossse long 

 and divergent; the elytra truncate at the apex, leaving 

 two segments of the abdomen exposed ; and the legs wide 

 and flat, the separate parts packing one upon another, 

 and the tibiae being strongly dentate or spinose exter- 

 nally ; the middle and hinder pair, moreover, are widely 

 apart, and the tarsi in all (except Acritus, which has four- 

 jointed posterior tarsi) are five-jointed. The abdomen has 

 five segments, of which the first is usually much the 

 widest, and the wings are ample. The true Histers, 

 from Platysoma to Paromalus inclusive, have the proster- 

 num produced into a chin-piece, for the protection and 

 reception of the head, which is wanting in Saprinus and 

 the rest of the family. 



They are found chiefly in dung or decaying vegetable 

 matter ; some species, however, preferring dead animals, 

 others frequenting ants' nests, and a few living under 

 bark or in wood. They fly strongly, and, when handled, 

 often simulate death, from which habit their name 

 Hister (histrio, a mimic) is derived. 



One of the prettiest species, Hister bimaculatus (Plate 

 VI, Fig. 4), is not uncommon in cow-dung, under stones, 

 etc. ; and with it the rounded, deeply sculptured, Ontho- 

 philus striatus may be found. 



The larvae appear to be found in similar situations to 

 the perfect insects; they are linear, depressed, nearly 

 smooth, soft, and dirty white in colour, except the head 

 and first segment, which are harder and darker ; the 

 legs, antennae, and palpi are short, and mandibles sickle- 

 shaped and prominent ; there appear, also, to be various 

 impressions and transverse rows of hairs on the ventral 



H 



