MR. A. MURRAY'S MONOGRAPH OF THE FAMILY OF NITIDULARLE. 289 
front; anterior angles obtuse, posterior projecting a little backwards. Scutellum trans- 
verse, triangular, with the apical angle rounded, depressed at the base, which gives it the 
appearance of being pentangular. Elytra deeply crenate-striate, the punctures in the 
strize close and transverse, the strive reaching neither to the base nor the apex; the stria 
next the suture deeper than the rest and wider at the base than at the apex, arising from 
two striz being there united; the striz become effaced at the sides; at the shoulder 
they are shortened; there are only six of the full size: the sides are deeply declinate, 
the margins expanded, and there is a deep longitudinal hollow along the margin near the 
base; along the apex the elytra become depressed for a short narrow space, so that they fit 
closely to the surface of the abdomen ; the apex is truncate, nearly straight; the sutural 
apieal angles right angles, the exterior apical angles obtuse and somewhat rounded. 
Abdomen with the segments margined with a double line; fimbrie not broad, simple, 
and subparallel with the sides—except on the pygidium, where they are short, broad at 
the base, and soon disappear; each segment with stigmatic depressions on either side; 
very finely punctate in the centre, coarsely and irregularly on each side. Underside of the 
insect hollowed (when turned up, it is like a decked boat with bulwarks all round); 
shining, finely punctate, and slightly pubescent; densely ciliated all round with stiff, 
curved ferruginous setze. 
From New South Wales (Sydney district). 
I first received a single specimen of this species from Mr. Sharp MacLeay, and was 
puzzled by its unusual form and structure, which seemed to indicate a peculiar habit 
oflife. Some light has lately been thrown upon this, however, by Mr. Frederick Smith 
of the British Museum, who has received a number, both of the larva and perfect insect, 
alive, in the nest of a wild bee sent from Australia, and which were devouring the sub- 
stance of the nest. Its peculiar form and structure are suggestive of arrangements for 
defence analogous to those of the limpet and other animals which occasionally have to 
stand a siege. Its texture is too hard for the army among which it has intruded itself 
to penetrate with their weapons. When placed on a level surface, its margins are closely 
applied to the ground all round. The upper surface is an elliptical dome, and the seg- 
ments and joints are guarded with peculiar eare—the unguarded chinks which exist 
about the eyes in other species being in this one defended by a special gate in the 
shape of the first article of the antenns, the beauty and exactitude of whose fitting 
require to be seen to be appreciated. The elytra are depressed at the apex, so that they 
may lie close to and continuous with the abdomen; and the hollow underside and 
ciliated or fringed margins seem to be adaptations for the purpose of enabling it to retain 
its place against efforts to remove it. The fringe of strong, stiff hairs, extending all along 
the sides of the thorax, elytra, and abdomen, has in all probability something to do with 
this. It might almost be thought that this hollow underside, with its enclosing margins, 
indicates some pneumatic arrangement for holding on like a limpet. It is easy enough 
to conceive how this might be done: the stigmata, being on the upper side of the abdomen, 
give the means of swelling out the body below, so as to leave scarcely any hollow, as it 
is soft and flexible; then, on the air being expelled, the belly would be drawn in and a 
vacuum left below, which should have the desired effect. 
