ORDER COLEOPTERA. 401 



NiTiDULA (Proper), Fab, Nitidida. StrongyluSy Herbst. 

 SilpTia, Lin., 



In which the two mandibles are narrowed towards the end, 

 and terminate in an emarginate or bifid point. 



Some are flatted, oblong, or ovoid, the others are orbicular 

 and gibbous, or proportionally more convex than the pre- 

 ceding. Accordingly some authors have placed certain 

 species of them in genera of an analogous form, but very 

 different, such as Spheridium and Tritoma. 



We find in great abundance on flowers, N. ccnea, Fab. 

 ejusd. N. viridescens rujipes, Yar. Oliv. Col. II. ii. 12 : 

 III. 20, a, b. V. 33, a, b. It is small, oblong-ovoid, of a 

 brilliant bronzed green, very much punctuated, with blackisli 

 antennas, terminated by a large obtuse knob. The corslet is 

 transverse, slightly emarginated in front, edged laterally, and 

 the feet sometimes of a blackish brown, sometimes fawn- 

 coloured. 



In these, the second and third articulations of the antennae 

 are almost of the same size, and the knob is elongated in the 

 form of a reversed cone or pear. 



Cercus, Lat. Catheretes, Herbst. Illig. Dermestes^ Lin. 

 Fab. SphcBridium, Fab. Gyll. Nitidula, Oliv. 



The body is depressed, with the elytra truncated. The 

 first two articulations of the antennae are much larger in the 

 males of some species than in their females, and perhaps this 

 sub-genus ought only to comprehend such species. The others 

 should be thrown back into the preceding. 



In those the legs are long, narrow, almost linear ; the ely- 

 tra cover the abdomen, and are not truncated. 



The body is oval, with the corslet trapezoid ; the knob of 

 the antennae is oblong, the first two articulations are almost 

 equal, and the third is but little longer than the following. 



VOL. XIV. 2 D 



