208 



Brachelttka.- 



-INSECTS.- 



-PiEDERIKI. 



eituations— in carcasses, dung, among fallen leaves, 

 mosses, barks, and such localities. Many are only 

 found on the coast, and several, as noticed afterwards, 

 live in ants' nests. 



Fig. 63. Fig. 66. 



Bcytalinus serpentinus. 



Tanygnathus tenninalii 



In their movements these insects are very active, 

 and they fly frequently, though not for any length of 

 time. When the larger species are disturbed, they 

 emit a most noisome stench, which proceeds from two 

 ovoid whitish vesicles they exsert from their cloaca. 



Fig. 67. 



Megalops cephalotes 



They often turn up their abdomen over the back 

 when excited. The great mass of the Stapbylinidoe 

 are of dull colours; but some of the exotic species, 

 particularly those of South America, have most brilliant 

 colours. 



The Slapliylhms riUosus is a common North Ameri- 

 can species. It is described by Mr. Gosse as being so 

 abundant in Newfoundland as to be quite a pest, for it 

 crawls about and devours the drying cod-fish. From 

 this habit it has acquired the name of " the fish-fly." 

 This species seems to enjoy an extensive range, for it 

 is met with as far south as Jamaica. 



The Emus liirtus, covered with yellow and black 

 hairs like a Bombus, is a rare British insect ; Velleius 

 dilatatus is a parasite in the hornets' nests, from which 

 it has been often taken. 



Some of the Staphylinidse are almost peculiar to 

 the sea-shore. In such localities the different species 

 of Cafius are met with under sea-weed, cast up on 

 the coast. They are well fitted for rapine by their 

 broad heads, and long jaws armed with strong teeth. 

 Their voracity does not spare their ow-n species, and 

 they sometimes fight for the exclusive possession of 

 a common prey. They burrow with great agility 

 under the loose sand when alarmed ; their flattened 

 body and expanded pilose anterior tarsi being admirably 

 adapted for making their way through this loose 

 material. 



The group Paderini are much elongated, and have 

 a rounded thorax, attenuate in front. The British 

 species have often a pretty red 

 thorax. A very singiflar genus 

 of the group is figured here from 

 Dr. Erichson's work. The long 

 tapering tliorax and strange head 

 attenuated behind, much as in 

 Casnonia, one of the Carabidse — 

 or Raphidia, the Crane-fl}', one 

 of the Neuroptera — mark this out 

 from other genera, as well as its 

 broken antemiie; the first joint is 

 very long, while the others are 

 very short. 



Species, small in size, are 

 often found in the valleys 

 of Columbia. The individual 

 figured is of a pitchy-black colour, 

 the tip of the short elytra and tho 

 legs are whitish ; it is named 

 Ophites versatilis. 



The genus Stilicus is near this. 

 One species, the S. frarjilis, is 

 beautifully figured in one of Mr. 



Curtis' exquisite plates ; they are found under tufts of 

 grass and fallen leaves. 



The following figure shows the form of the genus 

 Oxytdus and its larva (fig. 69), belonging to a group 



Ophites versatilis. 



Fig. 69. 



Fig. VO. 



Oxytclus carinatiis, with larva. 



Male of a cni-nntcd Bledioid 

 beetle. 



containing species, the males of which are often armed 

 with horns or spines on the head. The genus Blcdius 

 is particularly marked in this way. There are forty- 



