^■^^ INSECTA. 



occupy one exfrenuty of iliis triljc, wlicncc it becomes easy, from a comparative study of other i-elatlons, to pursue 

 tlie series to tlie other extremity ; this is also in accordance with the progressive changes of the antenn.T, 



Ccrocoma, GeolT'., lias only nine joints in the antenna; of both sexes, those of the males being of a very irregular 

 coiistrnction. The species apiiear towards the .summer solstice in great abundance at the same place ; they are 

 fnund upon flowers, especially the wild chamomile. N. Srhiiffcri, Linn. [Nune of the species are found in 

 Kiigland.] 



fhidcHs, Latr. {Dices, Dej ), has the two or three terminal joints of the antenna united (at least In the females), 

 into a thick ovoid mass, the number of joints being nine or ten. Mylabrls impunctato, Oliv. [Exotic sjjecies.] 



Miflahns, Fabi., has longer antennx, with eleven distiiict Jdints in both sexes, gradually terminating in a club ; 

 the eleventh or last joint being large and ovoid. 



Megerle has separated some species, from the variation in the length of the intermediate joints of the antennae, 

 into the genus Lydns, some of which are better charnctei'ized by having one of the divisions of the ungues toothed. 

 Mfilahris chicorii, Linn., inhabits the south of Europe, and its vesicatory properties are as powerful as the Can- 

 tharrs of the shops, with which, no doubt, it is mixed in Italy. The Chinese use M. puxtulafa. 



(Enas, Latr., has the antenuK not longer than tlie thorax, and of equal thickness throughout, with the last joint 

 conoid. 



Melue, Linn., has the antenna; composed nf short rounded joints, the middle ones being the thickest, and some- 

 times arranged so that these organs make a strong crescent in some males ; the wings are wanting, and the oval 

 elytra partially cover the abdomen. They crawl slowly on the ground and low plants [in the spring], emitting an 

 oleaginous reddish fluid from the joints of the feet. In some parts of Spain they are used instead of, or niixed with, 

 the common Cantharides. 1 have regarded tliem as the Bnpresiesoi the Ancients, who attributed to them Mjry 

 pernicious projierties, such as destroying oxen when eaten by them. 



M. proscai-ahd^us, Linn, [the common IJritish species], is about an inch long, and nf a black colour, shining, very 

 punctate, the sides of the head and thorax, antennce, and feet, tinged with violet. According to De Geer, the 

 f: male deposits in the earth a great number of eggs united into a mass. The larvshave six feet, two filaments at the 

 extremity of the body, and attach themselves to flies, which they suck. Mr. Kirby thought this lar\-a was an ap- 

 terous insect or parasite, to which he gave the name of Pediciiliis melUt^, and at first I adopted this opinion. Dufour 

 also formed it into a distinct genus, Triungulinus, But the recent researches of Lepeletier and Serville, who have 

 reared these Triungulini from the eggs of isolated females of RIeloe, do not permit us to doubt tliat they are the 

 ycuiig of the .Meloe. We know, indeed, that many Heteromera deposit their eg-gs in the nests of various Bees — 

 may it not be the same with these Aleloes, the larvce of which attach themselves to the Bees until they have com- 

 pleted their pi-ovisioned nests, in which they then take up their abode ? 

 The remaining subgenera have ordinary-sized wings and elytra. 



Tetraonjix, Latr., has short maxillae, and the penultimate tarsal joint is bilobed. [Exotic insects, chiefly Brazil.] 



Cantharis, Geoff. {LyKa, Fabr.), has short maxiltK, entire tarsal joints, and the head is larger than the thorax. 



C(7y(Ma;7.j rw/caMrm [the common Blister-fly], IS of a shiny green colour, with black antenna;. M.Y.Audouin 



has studied its anatomy with great care, [J»/;. 



^V '' Sci. Nai. vol. ix.) This insect appears in our cli- 



\ ''^*^**y, j,,*:^'^ mate [France] towards the summer solstice, and 



\^Of^Jr**-,^7^ "" '^ found most abundantly on the ash and lilac, of 



.z^- ^^^<^.^^^''~~'^^^^^^^^;y^<^ ^ which it consumes the leaves; it emits a most 



'^^ct:.*^^'^'^^''^ -==^ ^^^^'^^ ^^ ^^^^^-^E,^ -V, penetrating odour. Its larva lives in the earth, 



_^^~ •■ v^ -:*<^,,_ \ ^^^/ -^-^v'-^- ^^ gjjj feeds upon the roots of vegetables. [It has 



/ — -J t V ^^ .— - . ^ lately been found in immense numbers in Eng- 



"" "^ ".---""— C^-:0~^ — _-_ '!;>, --~' . X^^^ -^^"^^ "< land, but very locally.] In the United States of 



' ' — C^C^>^^"^ .--^r 1. '^ ^^^ ' ,r^ America, another species, C. vHtata, is employed 



'" ~' '^~--^^ -o^ej-' fQj. ti^g same purpose. It is fi.iund in alnuidance 



Pu_^, 77— Cnnlliiri.i vcsicRturla. UpOn the pOtatO. 



ZnniHa, Fabr., has the antenna: slenderer than in Cantharis ; the maxillary palpi are filiform, and the ma\ill;e 

 shnrf. 



In the two following subgenera the maxilla' are terminated by a very long silky (ilament. 



N'^Di'i'/i/nt/iii, I,atr., having filiform antennae, and the thorax nearly square. 



Gnathium, Kiri.iy, with the antenna; rather thickened at the tip, and the thorax narrowed in front. [Both con- 

 sisting of exotic species.] 



f<itaris, Latr. (Apalus, I'aiir.), has the elytra suddenly narrowed, so as t-o expose jtart of the wings. They reside 

 in the larva state in the nests of .Mason-bees. [-V. humeralis, a rare British species, beautifully figured by Curtis.] 



Apalus proper, Fabr., has the elytra not so strongly narrowed, and the middle joints of the antenna; rather 

 dilated. 



Tlictliird t:;ener!il section of tbe Colooptora (Tetramera) cxclusivoly comprises those siiecies 

 wliicli have four [(hstinct] joints to all the tarsi, [a minute joint, overlooked l)v most authors 

 being affixed at the base of the terminal joint, and betwet'u the lobes of the so-ealled penul- 

 timate joint; hence the supi>ositi(ni of Latreillc thattlie loss of thefifth joint was caused by the 

 basal joint becoming coaleseent with the second joint, cannot be maintained.] 



