462 INSECTA. 



distinct joints, and the palpi are filiform or gradually enlarge, we will 

 first separate those whose antennae are not received into particular 

 fossulse in the under part of the thorax. The praesternum rarely ex- 

 tends over the mouth *, 



In some, the antennae terminate abruptly in a large perfoliaceous 

 triarticulated club. 



Dermestes, Lin., Geoff., Fab. 



In Dermestes, properly so called, the antennae are similar, or differ 

 but very slightly in both sexes ; the length of the last joint is never 

 much greater than that of the preceding ones. 



Certain species do great injury among furs, and devastate our col- 

 lections of natural history. De Geer calls them dessectors, and in 

 fact the Dermestes lardarius cuts to pieces the Insects of the cabinet 

 into which it has penetrated. The others devour the dead bodies of 

 all kinds of animals. 



D. lardarius, L. ; Oliv., Col., II, 9, 1, 1. Black ; base of the 

 elytra cinereous and dotted with black. The larva is elongated, 

 insensibly tapered from head to tail, of a chesnut-brown above, 

 white beneath, furnished with long hairs and two squamous 

 horns on the last annulus. Its excrements resemble long 

 threads \. 



Megatoma, Herbst., Lin., Geoff., Fab. 



The Megatomae only differ from Dermestes in the club of their 

 antenae, which is much more elongated in the males than in the 

 females ; the terminal joint is lanceolate or forms an elongated tri- 

 angle. 



M.pellio; Dermestes pellio,li. ; Oliv., lb., II. ii. But two 

 lines and a half in length ; black ; three white dots on the thorax, 

 and one on each elytron, formed by down. The larva is greatly 

 elongated, of a glossy reddish-brown, and covered with reddish 

 hairs, those of the posterior extremity forming a tail. It moves 

 by sliding, and as if by jerks, which is also the case with the per- 

 fect Insect, and the Dermestes J. 



In others, such as 



LiMNicHus, Zieg., Dej., 



The antennae become gradually thicker, and terminate in a larger 

 and ovid joint ; they are granose, and received under the anterior 

 angles of the thorax. The maxillae are terminated by two lobes, the 



* The only exceptions are found in tlie Dermestes undatus (Megatoma) of Fabri- 

 cius, and the Limnichi, Ziegl. 



t Add D. vulpinus, inurinus, affinis, laniarius, tasselatus, trifasciatus, Gyll., Insect. 

 Suec, I, p. 145, et seq. 



X Add the Dermestes megatoma, Fab., of which his macellarius appears to be the 

 female ; — D. emarginatus, Gyll. ; — D. mdatus, Fab. The prssternum ia this latter 

 species projects over the moutb. 



