COLEOPTERA. 513 



Mnlaclihif!, Fabr., Itas beneath eacli of the anterior ans^lcs of tbc tliorax and eaeb siile of the base of the aoaorofti 

 a retractile vesicle capable of dilatation, and which the animal protrudes wlien it is alarmed, but of tbe ii:^e of which 

 we are iijnorant. Tlie body is shorter tban in the fnllowiii^ ^enus, with tlie thorax broader than long", (hie of the 

 sexes has in some species a book at tlie tip of the elytra; the basal joint of the antennae is often dilated and irre- 

 RTilar-shaped in the males ; their colours are agreeable. [These are active, pretty little insects, found in the sprin;^^ 

 and summer months, especially frequenting umbelliferous plants to prey upon the weaker insects which inhabit 

 those flowers.] Types, Cantharis ccnea^lAww., and L'cnt/iaris bipustulata, Livin. [two very common British species]. 



T)a.sytes, Fabr., has filiform palpi ; the thorax is not furnished with vesicles; the antennae at least as long as 

 the head and thorajc,and the body generally narrow, and sometimes linear. D. civrulem; Fabr. 



Ziiji'm, Fabr., and Melijris proper are composed of exotic species, having the ung-ues unidentate; the antenrue 

 shorter than tbe head and thorax, and tbe body shorter and of a more solid consistence. 



I'flecopkonis, Dcjean, has the maxillary palpi terminated by a large hatchet-shaped joint. Notoxus llligcri, Sch. 



DiglobiceniSj Latr., has the auteunai only distinctly 10-juinted, the last two joints being large and globular. 



The fourth tril)e of the Malacodernii, that of the C/erii, so named from the typical genus Clerus, is 

 dJstingiiitilicd by the following characters : — Two of tbe palpi at least arc advanced, and terminated in 

 a mass ; the mandibles are dentate ; tlie penultimate joint of the tarsi bilobed, and the first very short, 

 or indistinct in many species; the antennae are either filiform or serrated, and sometimes clavate, or 

 gradually thickened to the tips ; the body is ordinarily almost cylindrical, with the bead and thorax 

 narrower than the abdomen, and the eyes notched. The majority are found upon flowers, and the 

 others upon the trunks of old trees, or in dry w^ood. Such of the larva; as have been observed are 

 carnivorous. This tribe comprises the genus 



Clerus, Geoff.,— 

 Some of which liave the tarsi, when seen either from above or below, distinctly 5-jointed ; and the 

 antennae are always dentated like a saw. 



Ct/lidniSy Fabr., having long- entire mandibles (type, Tricliodex ri/aneuf:, Fabr., from the Isle of France); and 

 Tillns, Oliv., having the mandibles of moderate size, and notched at the tip (type, Tillus elonyatuN, Oliv., a 

 rare British species), have the maxillary palpi tiliform, or but slightly thickened at the tips; whilst 



J^r/oct'ra and J.r/ttiT, Kirby, founded upon Brazilian insects, have all the palpi terminated by a mass, the last 

 joint of the labial palpi being always hatchet-shaped. 



Eiiiypt/s, Kirby, differs from the last two in having only the penultimate joint of the tarsi bilobed. This is also 

 founded npfui a Brazilian species. 



In others the tarsi, when seen from above, only appear to be composed of four joints, the first of the five ordi- 

 nary joints being very shoi't, and concealed beneath tbe second. 



Thanashnus, Latr., Clerus, Fabr., having the maxillary palpi filiform (type, Adclolms formicariu.^, Linn.) ; and 

 Opilo, Latr., Notoxus, Fabr., having all the four palpi terminated by a large hatcbet-sliaped joint (ty]ie, Affe- 

 labus moUis, Linn.), have the antennae gradually thickened to the tip, but in the remaining 

 groups the last three joints form a sudden uiass. 



Clerus, Geoff. {Trichodcs, Fabr.), has the maxillary palpi terminated by a reversed triang-ular 

 comjiressed joint, whilst that of the labial is larger, and hatchet-shaped ; the joints of the club 

 of the antennas are close tog"ether ; the thorax is depressed in front. The i)erfect insects are 

 found upon fiowers, but the larvs feed upon the grubs of some kinds of Bees. 



Trichodes alvcarhis, Fabr. — Blue, with red elytra banded with blue; lives in tlie nest of 

 Mason Bees (G. osmia, lleaum.), and feeds at the expense of their posterity. Tbe lai-va of Atic- 

 lahus apiarius, Linn., devours that of the Honey Bee, and often does much damage in hives. 



Nt'crobia, Latr. {Conjnetes, Fabr.), has the four palpi terminated by a joint of the sauie size, 

 in the form of an elongated and compressed triangle; the joints of the club of the antenna; 

 apart, and the thorax is not depressed in front. Nerrobm violacca, (Jliv. ; Dcrmcstcs vtolacca, 

 Linn. Very common in houses and upon carcases. 



Eiwp/ium, Latr., has the ninth and tenth joints of the antenna' produced on the inside into a long toolh. Tillus 

 serraiicorniSy Oliv. 



The fifth tribe of the Malacodermi, that of the Pliniores, has for its type the genus Ptinus, Linn., 

 and some others which are derived from, or most nearly approach it. The body of these insects is of 

 rather solid consistence, sometimes ovoid or oval, or sometimes cyhndrical, but generally sliort, and 

 rounded at each end ; the head is almost orbicular, and received in the thorax, wdiich is very much 

 swollen, or hood-shaped ; the antenna? of some arc tiliform, or become gi-adually slender to the tii), 

 either simple or flabellate, pectinated or serrated, and those of others terminate in three joints abruptly 

 tiiicker and longer than the preceding joints; the mandibles are short, thick, and toothed; the palpi 

 are very short, and terminated by a larger joint, almost oval, or reverse triangle-shaped ; the tibire are 

 not toothed, and the spurs at their tips are very small; their colours are always obscure and bnt slij^htlv 



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