74 COMMON BRITISH INSECTS. 



not always long. Indeed,- in many species they do 

 not nearly reach the end of the abdomen, and are 

 quite as short as those of many Brachelytra. In such 

 cases they are generally ' truncate/ i.e. looking as if 

 they had been cut off square. 



THIS is the case with the first family of Necro- 

 phaga, the Silphidae. The mandibles are powerful, 

 as is required for the work which they have to perform,, 

 there is a very distinct labrum, and the trochanters 

 of the hind legs are projecting. These are again 

 subdivided into two sub-families ; the first being 

 called Silphina, and the latter Cholevina. The 

 former sub-family may be known by the fact that the 

 antennae have ten joints, and a very distinct and 

 rounded club. Their wings are very large and power- 

 ful, as is needful for insects whose food is necessarily 

 scattered over a very wide area. It is worthy of 

 notice that, when they are flying, their elytra are 

 carried very upright, so that their backs approach 

 quite closely to each other. 



The first genus of the Silphidae is Necrophorus, a 

 word which signifies * carrion-bearer,' in allusion to 

 the singular habits possessed by all the Beetles of this 

 genus. They do not content themselves with merely 

 eating their food, but they bury it, and then lay their 

 eggs in it, so that it serves not only as a feast for 

 themselves, but as a provision for their future young. 

 In consequence of this habit, they go by the popular 

 name of BURYING, or SEXTON BEETLES. It is a 

 very appropriate name, for there is scarcely any dead 

 animal or portion of an animal which they will not 



