420 SUPPLEMENT 



clature, which unfortunately exists already in a far too great 

 degree. 



The larvae of Nitidulas very much resemble those of 

 Silpha. Their body is flatted, of an oval elongated form, 

 composed of twelve rings, terminated laterally in a rather 

 acute angle. The last ring, similar to that of the larvae of 

 Silpha, is furnished with two small conical appendages. 

 These larvae have six short and scaly feet. When arrived at 

 their full growth they bury themselves in the ground, for the 

 purpose of undergoing their metamorphoses. The nitidulae 

 constitute altogether a very numerous genus. When the sap 

 flows from wounds in a tree, it is, says Mr. Kirby, attended 

 by various beetles, and among others, the nitidulae are very 

 busy in this way. Their operations prevent the tree from 

 healing as soon as it otherwise might do. If the bark be 

 any where separated from the wood, these subcortical insects 

 are sure to take their station inside it, and prevent a re-union 

 of the bark and tree. The nitidula grisea is remarkable for 

 its ravages in this kind. These insects will devour the wood 

 of the willow and sallow, which in the course of time are 

 hollowed to such an extent by those depredators, as to be 

 very easily blown down. 



The Byturi have very great relations with the last men- 

 tioned insects, and also with the Cerci, differing, however, 

 from the latter, in the length of their elytra, which cover 

 almost entirely the major part of the abdomen. They are 

 very commonly found on flowers in the spring season, 

 throughout all Europe. 



The Dacne was at first confounded with his Ips, by Fa- 

 bricius, a genus of Coleoptera very diff*erent from it. These 

 insects creep upon the earth, or sand, and are not unfre- 

 quently found under stones. 



The Dermestes are insects which have been for a long 

 time known in consequence of the ravages which their larvae 



