656 



BYRRHID^ BYRSONIMA. 



base. We shall be better able to show the manners 

 of the leading- species, as well as their differences 

 from each other, in one general article, HAWK, than 



Honey Buzzard. 



in detached notices of the genera, the arrangement 

 of which is far from being satisfactory. To that 

 article we shall therefore refer for notices of all the 

 diurnal birds of prey, with the exception of the 

 Vultures, Eagles, and Kites. 



BYRRHID^E (Leach). A family of coleopte- 

 rous insects belonging to the section Pentamera and 

 to the division Clavicornes of Latreille, or those 

 beetles which have the antennae terminated by a club- 

 shaped mass. The legs are more or less compressed, 

 and capable of being so closely applied to the body 

 that they are not all perceivable when the insect is 

 alarmed ; hence, and from the rounded form of these 

 insects, they have obtained the name of pill beetles. 

 This group appears to be intermediate between the 

 families Dermestidce (bacon beetles, &c.), and that of 

 the mimic beetles, Histeridce ; from the preceding it 

 differs in having the legs perfectly contractile, the 

 tarsi folding upon the tibiae, the latter upon the 

 femora, and the whole being then lodged in grooves 

 formed for their reception on the under side of the body ; 

 whilst it is distinguished from the mimic beetles by 

 the antennae not being elbowed at the extremity of 

 the first joint, and by the jaws not being exposed. 



These insects are of small size and of obscure 

 colours ; their numbers are likewise not very extensive, 

 but there is considerable difference in their economy, 

 some, in the perfect state, being found in sand-pits 

 and under stones, in fields, roads, &c. ; whilst others 

 frequent flowers, as the perfect anthreni, or are 

 observed beneath the bark of trees, or upon the coast. 



The genera are Byrrhus, Linnaeus ; Simplocaria, 

 Oomorphus, Syncalypta, Nosodendron, Aspidiphorus, 

 Trinodes and Anthrenus, all of which are natives 

 of England, 



The first of these genera, Byrrhus, is distinguished 

 by the club of the antennae being distinctly five-jointed, 

 by the palpi being terminated by a somewhat hatchet- 

 shaped joint, and by the prosternum being dilated in 

 front, covering the under side of the mouth. These 

 insects possess in the highestdegree the power of coun- 



terfeiting death bj the contraction of their legs. 

 They are likewise the largest individuals in the 

 family, although their length seldom exceeds one 

 third of an inch. There are nine or ten British 

 species, of which the Byrrhus pilula of Linnxus is the 

 type, as well as one of the most common species. 



The genus Nosodcndron (Latreille) is distinguished 

 by its oval shape, large exposed mentum, and antennae 

 terminated by a large three-jointed club ; the elytra are 

 moreover adorned with little bundles of hair. The 

 only British spec\es,Nosode>idronfasciculare ( Fabricius), 

 is found in elm trees, having been taken by the Rev. 

 F. W. Hope, at Southend, under the bark of some 

 of these trees which were placed in the sand to arrest 

 the incursions of the tide. 



With the exception of Anthrenus (Geoffrey), the 

 other genera do not present any material characters 

 worthy of notice in a work like the present. The 

 genus last mentioned is, however, more deserving of 

 attention, both from the ravages which its larva? commit 

 upon preserved animal substances, objects of natural 

 history, &c., and from the curious formation of the 

 larvae themselves. Perhaps there is nothing more 

 curious amongst insects than that, during the prepa- 

 ratory states of an animal, its habits should be totally 

 distinct from those of its adult state. The perfect 

 Anthreni are generally found on flowers, preferring, as 

 we have often observed, those of umbelliferous plants. 

 They employ their wings, seeking after impregnation, 

 to penetrate every spot where dried and preserved 

 animal remains are to be found, in order to deposit their 

 eggs in such situations. They counterfeit death, also, 

 like the Byrrhi,and, from their small size and banded 

 colouring, look like small seeds. In the larvae state 

 they are exceedingly destructive, especially in mu- 

 seums, whence they have obtained the name of 

 museum beetles, devouring the internal parts of bird 

 skins, preserved insects, &c., and attacking feathers 

 and hairs, reducing all to powder. They must not, 

 however, be confounded with the Tincce, or small 

 fleshy grubs found in similar situations, which form for 

 themselves cases of hair, woollen, &c. The larvae of 

 the anthreni, on the contrary, are uncovered except by 

 their own coating of hairs, which are disposed in 

 bundles, the posterior part of the body being furnished 

 with two large patches, which are longer than the 

 first, and each of which is thickened in a singular man- 

 ner at the tip, These crests, as they may be termed, 

 are so arranged that the insect has the power of 

 spreading them out, in which position it affords a 

 very beautiful object when magnified. 



The perfect insects are of a rounded and depressed 

 form, the surface of the body being adorned with 

 undulated bands of coloured scales, which are easily 

 rubbed off ; the antennae are terminated by a three- 

 jointed club, and are capable of being retracted and 

 concealed in grooves on the under side of the thorax, 

 which is produced behind, on its upper side, into three 

 lobes. There are five or six British species, of which 

 the Anthrenus (Byrrh.) Musceorum of Linnaeus is the 

 type, and which seldom exceeds one-eighth of an 

 inch in length. 



BYRSONIMA (Richard). So named from 

 byrsa, a hide ; for tanning which the bark is useful. 

 There are thirteen species, all tropical trees and 

 shrubs. They belong to Decandria Trigynia, and to 

 the natural order Malpighiaceee. The greater number 

 of the species were heretofore ranked in the genus 

 Malpighia, 



