210 



Necrophaga.- 



-INSECTS.- 



-SlLPHID.B. 



may be brought in an allusion to those miscroscopio 

 wonders, the Trichoptcrygida;, or those which have 

 wings ciliated most beautifully with hairs. Some of 



Fig 73. 



n The underside. 



h The antenna. 



them are the smallest of insects. There are forty-two 

 British species as yet recorded. Our figure shows one 

 of these greatly magnified — a the underside; b the 

 antenna. 



Group— NECROPHAGA. 



These are necrophagous beetles, which are so called 

 from their feeding on dead animal substances. The 

 antenna; are generally more or less suddenly thickened 

 at the tips. The mandibles are strong, the maxillae end 

 in two lobes, the outer one of which is not palpiform. 

 In this group the elytra frequently do not entirely cover 

 the abdomen. The legs are strong, and formed for 

 running. Although the chief food of this group con- 

 sists of decaying animal matter, yet some of them live 

 on fungi and other vegetable remains. The Silpha 

 qttadnjnmctata, lives exclusively upon trees, feeding 

 greedily on caterpillars. 



In this group is placed the curious genus Leptode- 

 RUS, characterized by its oval elytra, closely united at 

 the suture, and by the very long, slender, cylindrical 

 thorax, from which its name is derived. There are 

 three species known, which live exclusively in the 

 innermost recesses of some of the Carinthian caverns. 

 They are quite blind, and are of an uniform brown or 

 ferruginous hue. 



FAiriLY— SILPHIDyE {Carrion Beetles). 



The most characteristic family of the group is that 

 named by authors Silphid^. In these islands are 

 found many species (forty-nine) of this family, some 

 such as the NecropJiori, of considerable size. The body 

 is depressed; the thorax is more or less circular, its 

 sides being expanded, while the head can be drawn down 

 under it. The larvae of these insects have a great genera! 

 resemblance to those of the Staphylinidaj. They have 

 four jointed antennae, and two styliform appendages 

 on the last segment of the abdomen, and an anal pro- 

 longation which assists them in progression. They 



possess a labrum, which is wanting in the Staphy- 

 linidiE. They have the power of emitting a most 

 disgusting smell. 



The Necrophori have been named Sexton beetles 

 from the wonderful instinct they have been endowed 

 with, and which is thus described by Mr. Wcstvvood : — 

 " No sooner," says he, " is any small dead animal, bird, 

 or bit of flesh exposed in the open air, than the 

 Sexton beetles make their appearance ; and after 

 rigorously inspecting the object, as it were for the 

 purpose of taking its dimensions, several of them com- 

 mence operations by creeping beneath the carcase, 

 where, by digging away the earth with their fore-legs 

 beneath and around the animal, it by degi'ees descends 

 into the ground, although many times larger than the 

 insects engaged in burying it." 



On Plate 4, fig. 11, is figured the Nccrocles Uttoralis, 

 another common dark species, with the femora of hind 

 legs often enormously thickened in the males. The 

 Silpha lapponica is often a great nuisance in the huts 

 of the Laplanders, consuming much food when it 

 abounds. 



The Silpha ihoracica is black, but distinguished by 

 its orange-coloured thorax. 



The Cholcvce and Colons are an interesting group, 

 once studied by Mr. Spence. 



The strange genus Adelops, found originally in 

 the caves of Carniolia, has been found in this country 

 by that talented entomologist, Mr. Janson. He also 

 found and described a new species, naming it A. Wol- 

 lastoni. Adelopis is supposed to be blind, as is the 

 curious pale Lcptinus tcstaceiis, also a very rare British 

 insect. SpJia^rites glahraius is a rare Scottish beetle 

 belonging to this group. 



Family— SCYDM^NIDiE. 



Of the beautiful family Scydm^xiDjE, little well- 

 defined insects, there are sixteen British species. The 



FiR. 74. 



Pylades Caquercli. 



Leptomastas hypogenm. 



figure, 74, represents a most remarkable form in this 

 family {Pylades Caquereli), found by M. Caquerel, 



