BEETLES. 55 



FAMILY VI. Lagriidce. 



Antennae eleven-jointed, filiform, with short joints; claws 

 simple ; head round ; body rather long ; thorax cylindrical, narrower 

 than the head and elytra ; elytra widened towards the tip. 



The type of this family is Lagria Hirta, Linn., a black hairy 

 insect, about half an inch long, with rather soft yellowish-brown 

 elytra ; it is not uncommon on flowers. 



FAMILY VII. Anthicidce. 



Antennae filiform, twelve-jointed, more or less thickened at the 

 tips ; claws simple ; head broader than the thorax, which is strongly 

 convex, heart-shaped, and narrowed behind, and is generally fur- 

 nished with a horn in front ; elytra convex, cylindrical, broader 

 than the thorax. 



The Anthicidce are more numerous than the Lagriidce, and are 

 represented in Europe by several genera, which are of a black, red, 

 or yellow colour, and are met with in meadows, or under bark. 

 AntHcus Affinis, Laf., from South Europe, is of a brown colour, 

 with a pale band on the elytra, and about one-tenth of an inch 

 long. 



FAMILY VIII. Pyrochroidce. 



Antennse eleven-jointed, serrated or pectinated ; claws simple ; 

 body long, compressed ; thorax narrower than the head, almost 

 round, but rather broader than long elytra wider behind. 



The genus Pyrochroa, Geoffr., typical of this small group, in- 

 cludes several European species of a bright red colour, and mea- 

 suring from a quarter to three-quarters of an inch in length. The 

 larvse live under dead bark, and the beetles are met with either 

 there or resting on the trunks of trees. 



FAMILY IX. Mordellldce. 



Antennas eleven-jointed, filiform, slightly thickened towards 

 the tip, or serrated on the inside ; claws simple or toothed ; thorax 

 narrowed in front, but as broad as the elytra behind ; elytra nar- 

 rowed behind, and not extending to the tip of the abdomen. 



These are small active beetles, found on flowers or among 

 rotten wood. They possess the power of leaping. The European 

 species are generally of a black colour. Mordella Picta, Chevr., 



