Nccrophorns.] CI.AVICORNIA. -43 



exposed ; legs stout, posterior tibiae cither straight or curved ; some of 

 the species are very variable as regards size. 



About a dozen species of Necrophorus are found in Europe, of which 

 seven are regarded as British ; one of these, however, N. germanicus, is 

 somewhat doubtfully indigenous. 



I. Elytra black, without orange bands. 



i. Club of antennse black, epipleurae red . . . . N. GEEMANICUS, L. 

 ii. Club of antennse reddish-yellow, epipleurse black 



or obscurely brown N. HUMATOR, F. 



II. Elytra black, with large orange bauds. 



i. Club of antennas black N. MOBTUORUM, F. 



ii. Club of antennse reddish yellow. 



1. Posterior tibiae straight. 



A. Thorax with long yellow hairs on all the 



margins N. VKSTIGATOB, lltrsch. 



13. Thorax without yellow hairs on margins. 



a. Anterior orange band continued without 

 interruption across both elytra ; abdomen 



with thin pubescence at extreme apex . N. KUSPATOB, -EV. 



b. Anterior orange band of elytra inter- 

 rupted by a longitudinal common dark band 

 at suture : abdomen broadly and thickly 



pubescent before apex N. INTERRUPTS, StcpJi. 



2. Posterior tibiae curved; thorax with yellow 



hairs on anterior margin N. VESPILLO, L. 



N. R ermanicus, L. The largest species .of the genus ; black, with 

 a, spot on forehead (which is obscure in female), and the epipleurae of 

 elytra reddish testaceous, antennae short, Avith the club black ; thorax 

 trapezoidal, with angles rounded, disc finely channelled and punctured, 

 rather raised, sides strongly punctured; scutellum long; elytra -closely 

 punctured with two feebly raised longitudinal lines on each ; legs some- 

 what stout, anterior tarsi of male dilated and furnished beneath with 

 reddish brush-like hairs. L. 25-32 mm. 



Very rare and doubtfully indigenous ; recorded by Stephens from Moushold Heath 

 near Norwich, Oxford, and the banks of the Thames above Windsor, and by Curtis 

 from Norfolk ; it has lately been recorded from Fail-light near Hastings, in the 

 catalogue of the Coleoptera of the neighbourhood compiled by Mr. E. A. Butler ami 

 others. 



N. humator, Goeze. Entirely black, with the head and thorax 

 shining, and the elytra thickly punctured and duller; club of antennae 

 yellowish-red, thorax slightly narrowed behind, finely and diffusely 

 punctured on disc, thickly and strongly at sides ; elytra with three rather 

 distinctly raised lines on each ; anterior tarsi strongly dilated in male. 

 L. 18-28 mm. 



In carcases ; common and generally distributed throughout the kingdom. 



N. mortuorum, F. (vcspilloides, Herbst). Black, Avith two orange 

 bands on the elytra, the latter of which is reduced to two large kidney- 

 shaped patches : this point and the black club of the antennae Avill at 



