Common Beetles of our Countryside 



hind legs are furnished with only four, we may remember 

 that this is the principal character of the great group 

 Hetcromera, and rightly refer our beetle to that division. 

 Its name is (Edemera lurida (the dark (Edemera), Fig. 13, 

 Plate IV. It is about 6 to 7 mm. long, the thorax is rather 

 narrow, rounded and slightly contracted at base with a 

 raised line down the centre, the elytra rather variable 

 in colour from lightish sage-green to almost black, with 

 a roughened surface and slightly pubescent, with three 

 raised ribs extending their full length from base to apex, 

 and between the central and second a shorter rib extend- 

 ing only about one third the distance. This is a species 

 one can generally sweep up in June in grassy places on 

 the chalk, but it is not common elsewhere. There is one 

 other species in the genus 0. nobilis similar in form 

 but a little larger and of a much brighter and lighter blue- 

 green in colour; it can be known at once by the very much 

 thickened hind thighs (although it does not jump) of 

 the male. This is not specially a Down or chalkland 

 beetle, but can be taken not uncommonly in many places 

 in the southern half of England. It is figured in Plate B, 

 Fig. 9. 



But there are other beetles which we may sweep up 

 from the herbage of the Downs which certainly do leap, 

 possibly quite out of the net, unless we exercise some 

 dexterity in their capture. Mention has already been 

 made (pp. 8-9) of certain species of the genus Longitarsus, 

 such as L. exoletus, L. membranaceus, L. jacoboece, etc. 

 These, it will be remembered, were off special plants, but 

 we are almost sure to sweep up a few more off the general 



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