503 INSECTA. 



THE SECOND FAMILY OF THE COLEOPTERA PEXTAMERA,— 

 Erachklvtra, Cu?. {Mier(jj)lera^ Grav.), — 

 Have only one palpus to each maxilla, or four in all, [two maxillary ; tlie outer lobe of the maxillrc not 

 lioing palpifonn, ay in the foregoing triljcs, and two labial] ; the antennae, either of equal tliickncss 

 tliroughout, or a litilc thickeucil at the ti|>, are generally composed of oval or lenticular joints; the 

 elytra are very murli shorter than the body, which is narrow and elongated, with the coxse of the fore- 

 legs very lar[;;e, and two vesicles near tlie anus, which the insect protrudes at will. 

 Thcs.e Coleoptera conipube the gcuLis 



Statiiylinus, Linn., — 

 AYhich have been regarded as forming the jiassage from the Deetles to the Earwigs, the first genus in 

 tlic fohnwing order. In some respects, they approach the insects of the preceding family, and in many 

 others, the Silpha^, lSic., belonging to the fnurtli funiiiy. They have in general the head large and flat, 

 strong mandildes, antenna; short, tlie tlmrax as In-oad as the abdomen, the elytra truncate at the tiji 

 liut still covering the mngs, which are of the ordinary size ; the dorsal semi-segments of the abdomen 

 are as scaly as the ventral ones; from the anal vesicles a subtle vapour is discharged, which in some 

 species smells very strongly of sulphuric ether. i\I. L. Dufour {.■Inn. Sci. A'ot., vul. viii. p. 16.), has 

 described the apparatus by which it is secreted. 



These Beetles [one of the largest of which is well knoTvn under the name of the Devil's Coach-horse], 

 when touched turn up the end of the body, bending it in all directions; they albo use it for the 

 purpose of assi'-ting in fnldmg up their wings under tlie sliort elytra. The larsi df the fore-feet are 

 often broad and dilated, and the coxce of tlic four fore-h'gs arc very broad. Tlie majority live in the 

 earth, on manure and excrement; others are found iu boleti, rotten woud, luider stunes ; and others 

 only are met willi near water; some again, of small size, are only found in tluwers. All are very 

 vuracious, run wilh great quickness, and take Ihglit with ease. 



Their larva; greatly resemble the perfect insects, being of an elongated conical form, of which the 

 base, or the widest part, is occupied ]>y the head, which is very large ; tlie terminal segment of the body 

 i.-, prolonged into a tube, and accompanied by two conical hirsute ajipendages. ThcbC larv;e feed upon 

 tlie same substances as the perfect insects. 



The genus being very numerous, we divide it into live sections, 



The first section, that of the Fissilahra, has the head entirely exposed and separated from the thorax, 

 (which is sometimes square or srmi-oval, and somelimes munded, or iu the shape of a reversed trun- 

 eateil heart)by a neck or evidently narrowed part. The upper lip is deeply slit, and divided into two lobes. 

 Ori/porus, Fab., has the maxillary palpi tihforin, and the labial terminated by a large crescent-shaped joint ; 

 antenna: short and compressed, and fore-tarsi not dilated. Typie, Sfajj/i. rufus, Linn., about one-third of an inch 

 Ions', varied with red and black ; [a not uncommon Britisli species.] 



Astrnpiciis, Giav., has all the palpi terminated by a large, nearly triangular joint, and fure-tarsi much tlilated. 

 Slnph. ulmi, Clairv. 



tS/irji/ii///!'/!----, F;thr., has all the palpi libfnrni, and the aiitennre inserted between the eyes. Some of these, 

 especially the males, have the fore-tarsi very niueli dilated, the antenna' wide apart at the base, the basal joint not 

 exceeding; one fourth of their entire leng-th, and the head slightly elongated ; these compose tlie restricted j^enus 

 StapltnUnus of some systems. Another species, .S. diUtlaius, Fabr., has been .separated on account of its dilated 

 serrated antenuic, to form another [TV//fi^w, Leach]. Accordin,L,''to M. Chevi'Olat, tliis species f'ei.'ds upon catei-jMllars, 

 which it seeks upon trees. [It is now known to iQQ<X in Hornets' nests.] 



[This genus, ^taphijtinns as here restricted, is very numerous, and has been divided by Kii'by, Leach, Stei)bens, 

 and others, into several genera, such as Emtis, Creop/tilus, Goerhis, Oci/pus, Philonihiai, Gahr'/us, &c.] 



Slnp/ii/fiiiiis en/thropterus, Linn., is from two-thirds to one inch long, of a velvety black colour, 

 with the elytra, base of the antenna, and feet fulvous, [and with golden hairs on the side of the 

 tliorax and abdomen. It is very abundant in the sprinL^.] 



Tlie others are of a more linein' form, with the head and thorax elongate-' juadrate ; the antennae 

 close at the base, stronij;ly elbowed; and the fore-tarsi but slightly dilated. These form the 

 genus XaiithoUnas, 8tap. fnft/ens, S:c. 

 Pi/iopli'dus, has filiform palpi, and the antenna; inserted behind the eyes. P. /nfipc\\ North 



AnuTir;i. 



L<(l/n-nhiinn, Grav., has the palpi tr'cniiriated sudtienly by a minute pointed jnint, often indis- 

 tinct ; the antenuii: are inserted before the eyes ; the forc-tar.si are dilated iu bntli sc.\es. ■S/uph. 

 elongatus, Linn. 

 * The second section, Lonrjipalpi, has, also, the head entirely exposed, but the la'u-um 



