420 ATTEMPTED DIVISION t)F BRITISH INSECTS. 



once from all others by their square, short fore-wings, naked 

 body, elongate form, and disgusting manner of turning up the tail 

 like a scorpion. Inhabits and devours all putrefying substances, 

 also living insects. Staphylinus. 



Natural Order. — Pselaphites. 



Larva and pupa unknown. Imago, with acute dentate mandibles ; 

 obtuse maxillse ; rounded, exarticulate, though somewhat palpi- 

 form galea ; maxillary feelers, clavated, immensely developed, 

 often equalling the antennae in size ; antennae with ten or eleven 

 joints, the last joint incrassated, forming a club ; fore-wings 

 quadrate and abbreviated ; hind-wings usually wanting ; tarsi 

 two-jointed. Very minute ; slow in its movements. Inhabits 

 moss and the roots of grass, feeding on the Acari which occur in 

 those situations. Pselaphus. 



Natural Order. — Scydm^nites. 



Larva and pupa unknown. Imago, with antennae eleven-jointed, 

 moniliform, incrassated exteriorly ; the basal joint rather long, the 

 apical one ovate, which, with the two preceding, is incrassated ; 

 maxillary feelers very large, the third joint stout and conical, 

 the fourth and terminal one small, acute ; fore-wings completely 

 cover the body ; the tarsi five-jointed. Inhabit moss, and under 

 planks near cucumber frames ; feed on Acari. {Mastigus)j 

 Scydmcenus, Eutheia. 



Stirps VI. — Chrysomelina. 

 Natural Order. — Endomycites, Fungus-beetles. 



Larva, with six distinct articulate legs ; head small ; middle of the 

 body stout, gradually attenuated to the tail. Principally inhabits 

 and feeds on the interior of fungi. Pupa changes in the same 

 situations. Imago, with moniliform antennae, incrassated ex- 

 ternally ; acute mandibles ; tarsi three-jointed ; form very con- 

 vex, oval, glabrous. Inhabits fungi. {Dasycerus), Lycoperdina, 

 Endomychus. 



Natural Order. — Coccinellites, Lady-birds. 



Larva in structure like that of the preceding Order, but rather more 

 elongate and active. Inhabits the leaves of vegetables, feeding on 

 the Aphites which suck their sap. Pupa attaches itself by the 

 tail to a leaf, and changes in that position. Imago, with short 

 and rather clavate antennae ; acute mandibles; tarsi three-jointed; 

 form very convex above, nearly hemispherical. Inhabits vege- 



