22O 



COLEOPTERA 



CHAP. 



the skin of the beaver amongst the densest hair ; the larvae move 

 with a sinuous motion, like those of Staphylinidae. It has been 



FIG. 102. Platypsyllus castor is. A, Upper side ; B, lower side, with legs of one side 

 removed ; C, antenna. (After Westwood.) 



suggested that the Insect feeds on an Acarid, Schizocarpus 

 mingaudi ; others have supposed that it eats scales of epithelium 



or hairs of the beaver. 



Fam. 14. Leptinidae. - - Antennae 

 rather long, eleven-jointed, without club, ~but 

 a little thicker at the extremity. Eyes absent 

 or imperfect. Tarsi Jive-jointed. Elytra 

 quite covering abdomen. Mentum with the 

 posterior angles spinously prolonged. A 

 family of only two genera and two species. 

 Their natural history is obscure, but is 

 apparently of an anomalous nature ; the 

 inference that may be drawn from the 

 little that is known being that they are 

 parasitic on mammals. There is little or 

 nothing in their structure to indicate this, 

 except the condition of blindness ; and 

 until recently the Insects were classified 

 amongst Silphidae. Leptinus testctceus 



(Fig. 103) is a British Insect, and besides occurring in Europe 

 is well known in North America. In Europe it has been found 



FIG. 103. Leptinus testaceus. 

 Britain. 



