64 MANDIBULATA. — COLEOPTERA. 



rather narrowetl behind;, with a deep bifid dorsal channel reflexed in a curve 

 on each side: eyes brown. , 



Extremely abundant throughout the south-eastern portion of 

 England, from April to August ; though, according to Latreille, it is 

 rare in Europe. " Bottisham, common."" — Rev. L. Jenyns. 

 « Weston."— 5ey. A. H. Matthews. " Cummersdale."— T. C 

 Hey sham, Esq. " Swansea."" — L. W. Dillwyn, Esq. 



Sp. 2. coccinea. Atra nitida, thorace supra elytrisque sanguineis immaculalis, 



pube densCi depressa concolori tectis. (Long. corp. 6 — 7 lin.) 

 Ca. coccinea. Limu:. — Samouelle, pi. 3. f. 3. — Steph. Caiul. 253.s No. 2507. 



Shining black: thorax depressed^ bright sanguineous^ with a faint longitu- 

 dinal furrow, ajid densely pilose : elytra also bright sanguineous, with a con- 

 colorous depressed pubescence : scutellum dull black. 



Local, but not uncommon in some parts of the country, especially 

 at Darenth and Birch woods in June and July. It has also 

 occurred during the past year in the " New Forest."" — Revs. G. T, 

 Rudd and F. W. Hope. 



Family LXIII.— CANTHARID.E, Leach. 



Mandibles acute at the apex, and entire : maxilla; with two membranaceous 

 lacinise : labium subcoriaceous : palpi unequal, filiform, sometimes slightly 

 incrassate. Antennae various, rarely subclavate : head large, more or less 

 cordiform, united by a distinct neck to the thorax, the latter small, subqua- 

 drate, or cordiform, rarely transverse : elytra flexible, subinflexed, narrow 

 and elongate, or short and divaricating from the suture : abdomen soft, 

 sometimes very large ; tarsi heteromerous, with entire joints : claws bifid at 

 the apex. 



The bifid clav/s of the insects of this family at once distinguish 

 them from the other heteromera ; to which may be added their broad 

 exsertecl head, united to the thorax by a distinct neck, their small 

 subquadrute thorax, flexible elytra, which are sometimes very much 

 abbreviated, and divaricate considerably at the apex, which is occa- 

 sionally obliquely subtruncate ; the abdomen is generally very large 

 and soft, and the tarsi have entire joints. Many of the species 

 when touched feign death, and others exude an oleaginous substance 

 from the sides of the abdomen ; some again are remarkable for 

 their vesicatory powers. All of them subsist upon vegetable 

 substances. 



