58 COLEOPTERA. 



Hma Maculata, Swed., is a reddish beetle, spotted with black, 

 and about an inch long ; its head is very large, and almost square ; 

 it is found in South America. Mylabris, Fabr., is a large genus 

 found throughout the warmer parts of the Old World. Most of the 

 species are black, with large yellow or red spots or bands, and are 

 sometimes used for vesicatory purposes. The commonest species 

 in Europe is M. Floralis, Pall., which is found as far north as 

 Southern Germany; it is black, with yellow markings, and 

 frequents flowers. 



Meloetyphlus Fuscutus, Waterh., was kindly pointed out to me 

 by my friend and colleague Mr. C. 0. Waterhouse as a very 

 remarkable insect. It occurs in Peru, and although nothing is 

 known of its habits, it is in all probability parasitic upon ants ; 

 for it is of a dark reddish-brown colour, and almost exactly 

 resembles the great ants of the genus Edton in size and shape. 



Cantharis Vesicatoria, Linn., the Blister Beetle, is too well 

 known to need a long description. It is of a most brilliant green 

 colour, and about half an inch in length. It is not very common 

 in England, but is abundant in many parts of the Continent on 

 various trees, more especially on the ash ; and I have seen no 

 beetle which presents so brilliant an appearance as this when the 

 sun is shining on a tree upon which several are feeding. 



The genus Nematognatha, 111., is remarkable for having a long 

 proboscis almost like that of a butterfly. It is widely distributed, 

 and the South European species are black below, and yellow, more 

 or less marked with black, above. 



FAMILY XIII. (Edemeridce. 



Antennae eleven- or twelve- jointed, long and filiform, the middle 

 joints nearly as broad as long ; claws simple ; body long, rather 

 soft ; front coxae very long, intermediate coxae contiguous. 



The (Edemeridce are small delicate insects which frequent 

 flowers, and have a slight resemblance to Longicorns. The larvse 

 feed on dead wood or flower stalks. As an example, we may 

 mention (Edemera Podagrioides,'L\Tm., which is nearly half an inch 

 in length, and is black, clothed with silvery hair. The base of 

 the antennae and the elytra are yellow, and the thorax and under- 

 surface of the abdomen are also yellow in the female ; the legs are 

 of a reddish yellow. 



