292 MANDIBULATA. — COLEOPTERA. 



Black, clothed with a fine pubescence : the apical joint of the antennae pale- 

 testaceous : the thorax black, foveolated : elytra blood-red, with four elevated 

 lines on each, the interstices with a double series of punctures within, forming 

 a beautiful reticulated appearance. 



This elegant insect is apparently very rare in Britain, not more 

 than twenty or thirty examples having occurred in as many years : 

 it has been found on the oak at Coombe and Birch woods, in 

 August and September ; also near Tunbridge Wells, and in Nor- 

 folk. " Woodland, Devon, July. 11 — Dr. Leach. 



Family XXXVII.— TELEPHQRXDJE, Leach. 



Antenna; setaceous, rather long, somewhat remote at their base, the joints generally 

 cylindric and elongated, sometimes slightly serrated. Palpi unequal; maxillary 

 longer than the labial, the terminal joint ovate or securiform : mandibles entire, 

 acute : body oblong, very soft, slightly depressed : elytra as long as, or shorter 

 than, the abdomen : tarsi 5-jointed, the penultimate joint bifid. 



The Telephoridse in their perfect state are decidedly carnivorous : 

 they differ from the insects of the foregoing family by having the 

 antennae remote at their origin, and setaceous, the articulations 

 elongated ; the head broad, vertical, not concealed beneath the an- 

 terior margin of the thorax, nor produced into a rostrum ; and from 

 the Melyridse, by having the penultimate joint of the tarsi bifid : 

 two genera only occur in Britain, as hereunder briefly characterized. 



The larvae are elongate, somewhat flattened below, composed of 

 twelve rings, and a flat scaly head, furnished with two stout man- 

 dibles, two small antennae and four palpi : the body is soft, the three 

 first joints have each a pair of long scaly three-jointed legs, ter- 

 minated by a slightly curved hook, and, on the last segment, a fleshy 

 tubercle answering the purpose of a seventh leg : they reside in 

 damp earth, and are carnivorous, according to De Geer. 



C abdominis Ion gitudine, alls tegendbus : . 239. Telephorus. 



Elytra < 



£ abdomine breviora, alls haud tegendbus : . 240. Malthinus. 



Genus CCXXXIX. — Telephorus, De Geer. 



Antenna; elongate, the basal joint robust; the second small; third shorter than 

 the fourth ; the remainder gradually decreasing in length to the last, which 

 is as long as the fourth and subfusiform. Palpi with the terminal joint 



