154 BRITISH BEETLES. 



beetle" (Meloe), and " Spanish-fly," or " Blister-beetle" 

 (Lytta) . 



The BLAPTID.E have the last joint of the maxillary 

 palpi hatchet-shaped, the epipleura of the elytra wide, 

 and the hind femora long ; they are represented here by 

 one genus (Blaps) of three species, all of which are 

 large, somewhat flat, dull black, with the elytra soldered 

 together and pointed behind. They are found (some- 

 times in great numbers) in kitchens, outbuildings, stables, 

 churchyards, etc., and are very slow in their movements, 

 sedately lifting one long leg at a time, and only crawling 

 about at night. They have a peculiarly foul smell, which 

 is difficult to get rid of, arid are indiscriminately known 

 as the "churchyard beetle." Their larvae closely re- 

 semble the common "meal-worm;" and instances have 

 been recorded of their having been discharged (once in 

 large numbers) from the human stomach. 



Our commonest species is B. mucronata, formerly 

 called mortisaga : the latter, however, is much rarer, 

 only occurring in the north of England, and readily 

 distinguished by the longer process at the apex of its 

 elytra, and by its thorax being more evidently punctured 

 and more contracted behind. 



The CONIONTID^E are here represented solely by 

 Crypticus quisquilius (Plate X, Fig. 2), a small, black, 

 shining species found in some numbers on sandy banks 

 at Deal. It has slender legs and tarsi, the hinder 

 femora not reaching far beyond the elytra, of which the 

 epipleura are narrow. It is usually winged, but indi- 

 viduals occur in which the wings are either imperfectly 

 developed or absent. In this family there is a narrow 

 projection between the anterior coxae. 



The PEDINID.E have the eyes divided into two by the 



