LIGHT HATERS. 43 



pair of legs. These dilated joints are covered with 

 stiff bristles. The mentum is deeply notched, and 

 has a small lobe in the centre. 



Unlike the preceding family, which are for the 

 most part lovers of light and fond of darting about 

 in the full radiance of the sunbeams, the Harpalidae 

 withdraw themselves from the light, and hide them- 

 selves during the daytime in any crevice that may 

 present itself. Should, for example, the season be a dry 

 one, the cracks in the earth are sure to be tenanted 

 by Harpalidae ; and when the spade is employed, many 

 of the Beetles are turned up together with the soil in 

 which they have sought a refuge, and sought it in vain. 



Our typical example of this interesting family 

 shall be the very plentiful insect scientifically known 

 as Harpahis ceneus. In this genus three joints of the 

 tarsi of both the front and middle pairs of legs are 

 dilated in the males. 



The pretty species which has been chosen as our 

 example is polished on its upper surface like a mirror, 

 the colour being exceedingly variable. Some spe- 

 cimens are brassy, others coppery, others green of 

 various shades, and others again blue of various 

 shades, deepening into violet so dark that it appears 

 to be black. There are some faint striae on the elytra, 

 and in the flat interstices between the striae are 

 punctures, very few towards the suture, and plentiful 

 towards the margin. Beneath it is pitchy-black. 

 In this insect, as indeed in most of the members of 

 this genus, the females are much duller than their 

 mates, this effect being produced by a very fine 

 granulation of the elytra. There are more than 

 thirty known British species of this genus. 



