Saprini, Dermestes and Others 



the short wing-cases. Two species, both 

 inmates of dung-hills, haunt my earthen-ware 

 pans: Aleochara fuscipes, FAB., and Staphy- 

 linus maxillosus, LINN. My attention is 

 drawn rather to the latter, the family 

 giantess. 



Barred with ash-grey velvet on a black 

 ground, the Big-jawed Staphylinus reaches 

 me only in small numbers, always one by one. 

 She flies up hastily, perhaps from the stables 

 hard by. She alights, coils her belly, opens 

 her pincers and dives impetuously into the 

 Mole's fur. Then, with her powerful nip- 

 pers, she punctures the skin, now blue and 

 distended by gases. The sanies oozes out. 

 The glutton greedily eats her fill; and that 

 is all. Soon she departs, as suddenly as she 

 came. 



I have not had the good fortune to see 

 anything further. The big Staphylinus has- 

 tens to my pans only to feast upon a highly 

 seasoned dish. Her family dwelling must 

 be in the 'dung-hills about the stables of the 

 neighbourhood. I should have much liked 

 to see her make her home in my charnel-pits. 



The Staphylinus is a curious creature in- 

 deed. Her short wing-cases, covering just 

 the top of her shoulders, her fierce mandi- 



49 



