82 



INSECTS AT HO^IE. 



covered with very small punctures, and the elytra are bluish- 

 biack edged with red. The leg-s are light-red. On account of 

 the extreme tenuity of the connection between the head and 

 the narrowed thorax, this insect is apt to fall to pieces in the 

 cabinet if the drawer containing- it be shut with a jerk, and it 

 has therefore obtained the specific name of fragUis. It is not 



1. Stilicus fracrilis. 2. Stcnus himaculatiis. 3. Omalium florale. 4. Propnatha qnadri- 

 cornis. 5. Jricral.vmnia brcvijiunne. «. StPiiu-, litrula. b. Stenus. loft iiiaiulililc. c. 

 Stiiicus, rijrht iiiandiblo. <:/. I'ropnatha. imixillnrv palpus. e. Prognatha, labium. /. 

 Stilicus, maxillary palpus. g. Steuus, maxillary palpus. 



a very common insect, but is spread tolerably widely, and 

 may be found by careful searching in hotbeds and heaps of 

 decaying vegetable matter. 



Other species of this curious genus can be found by looking 

 in the proper places. Stilicus geniculdtus, for example, in- 

 habits chalky districts, and Stilicus orbiculatus must be sought 

 in marshes. 



