374 BYRRHTJS. 



Genus VII. — Byrrhus^ 



1 HIS tribe when in its larva ft ate, refembles the worm^ 

 of the dermeftes j like them alio they are extremely vo- 

 racious, and are but too well known to thofe who are 

 employed in colle£ling the fubjeds of natural hifl;ory. 

 Their antennae, when they arrive at the winged Hate, 

 are clavated, terminating in a capitulum or knob of a 

 folid fubftance and oval lliape. 



The byrrhus verbafcl of Limiccus is of this genus, 

 "Whofe elytra are fo thickly fet with fmall fcales^ that the 

 black colour of them is no where to be feen. Thefe 

 fcales were of a white colour in the fubjefl we examin- 

 ed, and fo arranged, that they formed three undulating 

 ilripes acrofs the elytra ; between thefe (tripes there were 

 others of u fimilar form, but of a reddiPa brown. The 

 infe£t is fometimes to be found ftripped of this fcaly co- 

 vering, which fo disfigures it, that it can hardly be re° 

 cognifed for the fame animal. 



