58 MANDIBULATA. — COLEOPTERA. 



The larva is deep black, and it feeds most voraciously on the larvae of lepidop- 

 terous insects, devouring at a single meal one as big as one's little finger, 

 when it becomes so bloated, that its skin readily gives way to the slightest 

 touch, and the animal is at such times perfectly inactive. 



Few indigenous insects vie with this in brilliancy and splendour 

 of colouring-, and few are of so gigantic a stature ; its rarity also 

 adds to the value of its acquisition. The first recorded specimen 

 was taken several years since by Crabbe, the poet, at Aldborough, 

 on the SuiFolk coast ; it was subsequently found near Southwold, 

 and one was shortly afterwards taken by a boy, crawling in the 

 cloisters of Norwich cathedral ; since then it has been found on the 

 Welsh and Devonshire coasts; and in the year 1818 many spe- 

 cimens, all remarkably brilliant, were sent to Dr. Leach, which 

 were captured near Dartmouth. It is reputed to have been once 

 found in Coombe-wood, and I believe it occurs near Oxford, and 

 has been occasionally taken in Ireland. 



Sp. 3. inquisitor. Supi'd cupreo aut aineo-nigrum ; elytris viridi marginatis, 

 reticulato striatis, punctisque majoribus triplici serie; corpore infra vire- 

 scente; antennis pedibusque uigris. (Long, cor p. 8 — 10 lin.) 



Car. inquisitor. Linns. — Don, xiv. pi. 504./". 1. — Cal, inquisitor. Steph. Catal. 

 No. 80. 



Head, thorax, and elytra deep coppery or brassy bronzed-black, the latter with 

 a green margin, and about sixteen reticulated stria?, each elytron bearing 

 three rows of deep concolorous impressions, placed between the fourth, eighth, 

 and twelfth striae from the suture : the body beneath is shining green, glossed 

 with violet : the antennte and legs are black : the thorax is finely punctulated, 

 and bears a deep impression near the hinder angle on each side. 



Rather an uncommon species, but found in several parts of the 

 country : near London it occurs at Norwood, Epping Forest, Da- 

 renth and Coombe woods ; and it was once found in profusioji by 

 Mr. W. Griesbach near Windsor. Dr. Leach took it near Ta\i- 

 stock in Devonshire. 



Genus XX. — Nebria, Latreille. 



Palpi moderately long : labial with the two basal joints short, third and fourth 

 equal, the latter obliquely truncate : internal maxillai-y palpi with the basal 

 joint shortest; external with the basal joint short, second longest, tliird and 

 fourth nearly equal, the latter truncate : labrum subquadratc, sligb.tly emar- 

 ginate: 7nandibles porrect, toothed near the base: labium rounded : mentmn 

 linear, trilobate, the centre lobe bifid. Antenna' limaM : abdumcn c\o\\u.a{g : 

 body depressed : thorax transverse, cordate, truncate, the basal angle straight ; 

 wings two : anterior tarsi of male with three basal joints dilated. 



