‘gc 7 hompson: The Yorkshire Coleoptera Committee. 
the allied genera. Next come Necrophorus, Necrodes, Sélpha, 
holeva, Hister, Saprinus——all beetles found in decaying 
vegetable and animal matter. The species of Mecrophorus are 
guadripunctata is an exception as regards habits, being taken” 
on oak and other trees where it feeds on various larve. 
Trichopteryx, Ptilium, and Ptenidium contain the most minute 
of Coleoptera—mere specks to look at—and met with chiefly in 
moss, hotbeds, and vegetable refuse. In similar habitats, as 
well as under bark, are to be found the species of Scydmenus, 
Euconnus, Bythinus, Bryaxis, and Euplectus, many of them 
affecting marshy situations. All minute insects and easily 
overlooked, their distribution in the county is much in need of 
careful study. The lady-birds are now classed with the 
Clavicornia. The commoner sorts are familiar, even to the 
outside world, but closer study reveals them divided into several , 
genera—Hippodamia, Adalia, Coccinella, Halysia, etc. Many 
of the species abound about fir trees. Further on in the group 
come the ‘flower beetles’ of the genera Meligethes, Epurea, 
Brachypterus, Cercus, and Byturus—occurring in profusion on 
our flowering shrubs and plants. Allied to these are the species 
of Nitidula and Omosita, found in dried carcases and old bones. 
hilst Soronia, Ips, eee. and Mycetophagus contain 
insects whose habitat is, for the most part, under bark and in 
the fungoid growth on trees. By weeping herbage we meet 
with the species of Cryptophagus, psa Corticartia, Entcmus, 
Melanophthalma, and Monotoma, many of them also inhabiting © 
‘.. 
haystack and vegetable refuse. They are all small, inconspicuous 
genus Dermestes, whilst Byrrhus contains round, very convex 
insects, with strongly retractile legs, which seem to disappear 
at the least alarm—hence their popular name of ‘ pill beetles.’ 
At the end of the group are certain sub-aquatic beetles—Z/ms, 
Limnius, and Potaminus—found clinging to submerged logs and 
stones in streams; and the species of Parnus and Helerocerus 
burrowing in the banks of ponds and ditches. 
Now these references are sufficient to indicate what manner 
of beetles the Clavicornia contains, and are given in the hope 
that the nature of our work may come under the notice of some 
entomologist in Yorkshire thinking of ‘taking up’ the study of — 
Coleoptera And also that such as may have. ‘worked | the: 5 
oe Naturalis 
