CHAPTER XVIII. 



PS E U D T R I M E R A. 



Another large section of Beetles comes next in order. This is 

 called by the name of Pseudotrimera, or False Three-jointed 

 Beetles, because the tarsi only appear to have three joints. In 

 reality, however, they have four joints, but the third is very 

 minute, and is hidden in the doubly lobed end of the second 

 joint. The whole section is a very miscellaneous one, and 

 receives a great number of Beetles which appear to have but 

 slight relationship with each other. The first family, or rather 

 group, of these insects is called Erotylidse, of which we have about 

 five species in England, belonging to three genera. They have 

 been also called by the appropriate name of Clavipalpi, or clubbed 

 palpi, because those organo terminate in a large knob-shaped 

 joint. The ends of the antennas are also clubbed and flattened. 

 Our own species are all inhabitants of fungi, and can be obtained 

 in the autumn by opening the various fungi that are found at 

 that season of the year. The name Erotylides is Greek, signifying 

 " little darlings," and has been fancifully given to the insects 

 because they are not large and many of them are exceedingly 

 beautiful. The antennas have the flattened club formed of three 

 joints. The body of these insects is generally oval, and mostly 

 raised in the middle. The surface is smooth and polished, and 

 is almost invariably more or less covered with clearly defined 

 marks, sometimes black, but often red and yellow. 



The first illustration on the next page represents a very con- 

 spicuous example of this group, called Encaustes verticalis. The 

 name Encaustes is Greek, signifying anything that is scorched or 

 burned, as a hot iron burns wood, and is given to the insects on 

 account of their rather peculiar colouring. The present species 

 affords a good type of the genus. Its colour is yellow, in many 



