338 CLASS INSECTA. 



other parts of a yellowish red. One black spot on the corslet. 

 It is found frequently in Europe in spring. Its larva is almost 

 cylindrical, elongated, soft, of a dead black, and hairy, with 

 the antennae, the palpi, and the feet of yellowish red. The 

 head is scaly, with strong mandibles. Under the twelfth and 

 last ring is a nipple, which it employs in walking. It lives 

 in humid earth, and feeds on prey. 



There has been seen, some years, during the winter, in 

 Sweden, and even in the mountainous parts of France, a con- 

 siderable extent of ground covered with an infinite quantity 

 of these larvas, as well as with diiFerent other species of living 

 insects. It has been suspected, and with some foundation, 

 that they had been carried off and transported thither by 

 gusts of wind, which deracinate and lay prostrate a great 

 number of trees, particularly pine trees and firs. Such is the 

 origin of what has been named insect rains. The species 

 which are then found, and sometimes even on frozen lakes, 

 are probably of the number of those which appear early 

 in the season. 



Cantharis Hvida, Lin. Oliv. ibid. II. 28. Size and form 

 of the preceding ; corslet reddish, without spot ; cases of an 

 ochreaceous yellow, and end of the hinder thighs black. On 

 flowers. (Consult for the other species, Schaenherr, Synon., 

 Insect. II. p 60, and Panz. Ind. Entom. p. 91) 



SiLis, Meg. Dej. Charp. 



Do not differ from the telephori, but that their corslet is 

 emarginated, on each side, posteriorly, and that we see un- 

 derneath (at least in the S. Spinicollis) a small coriaceous 

 appendage, terminating in a knob, and the extremity of which, 

 probably more membranous, forms in dried individuals, the 

 appearance of an articulation. M. Touissant de Charpentier 

 has figured one species, rubricoUis, in his Horae Entom., 

 p. 194, 195, vi. 7. 



