196 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



PHCBNONOTUM Sharp. 



P. extricatum Say. Brigantine beach, IX (Hn), Camden (Li), III, 3-15, 

 sifting along river front (W). 



CRYPTOPLETJRUM Muls. 



C. minutum Fab. Arlington, Newark, V (Bf), Camden (Li), DaCosta, V, 21 

 (Boerner). 



Family SILPHIDiE. 



"Carrion beetles," and "burying beetles"; varying much in shape, but little 

 in habit ; dead animal matter being the favorite food, though other decaying 

 materials such as fungi are sometimes taken. The antennae are capitate, or 

 terminated by a short, spherical club, which is very sensitive to the presence of 

 decay. They are of no direct benefit to the agriculturist, but very useful indi- 

 rectly by removing and changing the form of animal remains. Small animals 

 are buried completely, the larvae living in them as they slowly decay beneath 

 the surface. 



NECROPHORUS Fabr. 



N. americana Oliv. Throughout the State though not common : the species 



of this genus are the burying beetles. 

 N. sayi Lap. Hudson Co. (LI), Ft. Lee (Bt). 

 N. orbicollis Say. Madison (Pr), Caldwell (Cr), Ft. Lee, VI (Bt), Hudson 



Co. (LI), Newark (Soc), Westville (Li), g. d. (W). 

 N. marginatum Fabr. Throughout the State, and one of the most common 



species on carrion of all kinds. 

 N. guttula Mots. Hudson Co. (LI). 

 N. tomentosus Weber. Hopatcong (Pm), Caldwell (Cr), Ft. Lee (Bt), 



Newark (Soc), Hudson Co. (LI), New Brunswick. 

 N. vespilloides Hbst. Caldwell (Cr), Snake Hill (Sf). 



SILPHA Linn. 



S. surinamensis Fabr. Throughout the State under carrion and much the 

 largest of the flat forms ; easily known by the greatly enlarged hind legs. 



S. lapponica Hbst. River Edge (U S Ag), Newark (Soc), New Brunswick ; 

 most common on snakes, toads and other reptilia. 



S. inaequalis Fabr. Throughout the State, not rare. 



S. noveboracensis Forst. Also occurs throughout the State. 



S. americana Linn. Occurs on toad-stools and in dung, as well as on carrion 

 everywhere, though not usually common. 



