96 ZOOLOGY. 



mentioned above, especially the hearts of young 

 plants. They are destructive both in autumn and 

 spring, damaging winter and summer grain. The 

 larval condition is maintained for three years, the 

 animal then turning into a pupa during July. Its 

 ravages are limited to special years. Bemedy : 

 Sowing oats, peas, or vetches, or planting potatoes in 

 fields infested by the beetles or their larvse ; collect- 

 ing the beetles in the evening when they are in the 

 ears. 



Family : Staphylinidae (Rove Beetles). 



Usually elongated, small (Fig. 70). The short 

 truncated wing-covers leave the whole of the abdomen 

 exposed. The rove beetles resemble the earwigs in 

 their appearance and in a way they have of fre- 



FiG. to.— Eove Beetle {Staphylinus Fig. 11 The Black Burying Beetle 



ei-ythropterus). {Silpha atrata) and larva. 



quently lifting up the hinder end of the body and 

 turning it forwards. Tarsi five-jointed, jaws strongly 

 developed. The six-legged larvae resemble those of 

 the ground beetles, but have a relatively large head. 

 The beetles live through the winter; the metamor- 

 phosis takes place in autumn. Live on the ground 

 under fallen leaves, also under the bark of trees ; in 

 carcases. Some chiefly eat insects living in the soil 

 and noxious insects; others, dung and decomposing 

 matter. (Species of Siaphylinus, and of Ocypus, e.g. 

 0. olens, the Devil's Coach Horse.) Several are of 



