588 THE CARRIOJT EATER. 







Genus XVIII. — Necydalis. 1'he Carrion Eater. 



Xj? this genus there are eleven fpecles, which have ob- 

 tained their EngliJJj name from their fappofed predilec- 

 tion for carrion. In their winged ftate, they generally 

 frequent the woods ; their refidence and habits, while 

 larvcs, are wholly unknown. The generic characters of 

 thefe infcfts are, the fetaceous form of the antennae, and 

 the (liape of the elytra, which are either Ihorter or nar- 

 rower than the abdomen f. 



The f.rft infeiSl of this family enumerated by the 

 Su'cdi/lj naturaliiT; is the larger carrion eater, wlilch is 

 dlftinguiilied by its large and prominent eyes : The an- 

 tenna are raifed upright as far as the firft articulation, 

 after which they are bent, and turned sfide. In fome in- 

 dividuuls, the thorax is black, in others yellow ; the ely- 

 tra are generally black, lighter towards the middle, 

 ■^vhicu contains a lemon-coloured fpot. 



I Syfiema Nst. p. 641. 



