F.N1 O.MOLoGICAL CABINKT. 



RHIPIPHORUS PARADOXUS. Fair. 



Mordella paradoxus. Linne. 



Black : head small, inflexed and scarcely observed 

 from above, shining and punctured : eyes small and 

 projecting : antennae inserted immediately beneath 

 the eyes at the base of the clypaeus, bipectinate in 

 the males ; in the females flabellate or like the sticks 

 of a fan. Thorax black, arched of the breadth of the 

 head, in front deeply channelled down the centre, 

 the sides gradually increasing, and with three lobes 

 behind, the centre lobe produced in the place of a 

 scutellum, the two outer lobes red. Elytra black, 

 elongated, shorter than the body, gaping and acumi- 

 nated at the apex ; in the females the colour is often 

 testaceous : breast and legs black, abdomen pale 

 orange, the last joint black. 



Length of the body 5 lines. 



Inhabits umbelliferous plants, but is rarely found. 

 The only specimens Ave possess we obtained some 

 years since from the Rev. F. W. Hope. 



We select from our friend, Mr. J. Curtis, the fol- 

 lowing observations. " This beautiful and interest- 

 ing insect, which is the only species that inhabits 

 Britain, was considered, a few years back, one of 

 our most valuable acquisitions, being only met with 

 accidentally, from our ignorance of its habits and 

 economy; but having been discovered in its natural 

 habitation by my friends, Dr. Leach and W.S. Mac 

 20-;-; 



