SILPHA. 



SILPHA, in Entomology, 7i ^enui of infefts of the order 

 Coleoptera, of which the ijeneric charaAer is, Antennae cla- 

 vate, the club perfoliate ; fliells margined ; head prominent ; 

 thorax fomewhat flattened and margined. This genus of 

 infefts, from its habits, is known by the trivial name of the 

 CarrioH-beetk. The feveral fpecies are commonly found 

 among decayed animal or vegetable fubllances, frequenting 

 alfo dung-hills, carrion, and other offcnfivc matter : they 

 lay their eggs chiefly in the dead and putrid carcafes of ani- 

 mals. The larvi are of a lengthened fhape, and of an un- 

 pleafant appearance, being generally roughened with minute 

 fpines and protuberances. There are about 120 fpecies, in 

 eight feparate divifions or feftions. The following arc moft 

 worthy of notice. 



SeSion A is charaderij'ed by a dilated and bijid Lip, and a oiie- 

 toothed Jaiv ; in which, among others, are the follotuing 



Species. 



SuRiNAMENsis. Black ; {hells with a yellow band be- 

 hind ; hind-thighs toothed. It is found in South America. 



* LiTTORALis. This is a black infcdl ; the fliells are 

 naked, with three raifed lines ; thorax rounded and poliflied. 

 This is an European infeft, and found in our own country. 



LiviDA. This is brown ; thorax, fliells, and legs livid. 

 It is found in Germany. 



IxDiCA. This, as its name imports, is an Indian infeft ; 

 it is black ; the fliells are marked with two ferruginous 

 bands ; thorax one-toothed before. 



MlCANS. Black, with a green polifli ; fliells ftriate, trun- 

 cate, one-toothed. This is an inhabitant of the Cape of 

 Good Hope. Tail rufous ; fliells black, with three elevated 

 ftrise, one-toothed at the future. 



Americana. This, as its name fliews, ir found in 

 divers parts of America. It is deprefled and black ; tho- 

 rax is yellow and black in the centre. The fliells are rugged 

 and immaculate. 



* TiiORACicA. This is black ; the fliells are marked 

 with a liugle elevated line ; the thorax is teftaceous. Tliis 

 and the following are Englifli infedts. According to Mr. 

 Donovan's figure and defcription, the fliells of this fpecies 

 have three railed lines. It is didinguifliable by its red tho- 

 rax, every other part being black. 



* RuaesA. Blackifli ; the fliells are ridged with three 

 raifed lines, the thorax is ridged and finuate behind. This 

 infeft confumes dead carcafes, fifli, and flefli of all kinds : 

 when caught it emits a very fetid humour. 



* AsTRATA. This is of a fize fimilar to the thoracici, 

 but is totally black, and has the wing-flieaths marked by 

 three rifiiig lines ; its larva, which may be found in gardens, 

 is of a lengthened fliape, and of a black colour. 



♦Lr.viGATA. Black; fliells fmooth and fub-punftured. 

 The fliells are without railed lines. 



* Obscuka. Black ; the fliells arc punftured, with 

 three railed lines ; the thorax is truncate before. This fpe- 

 cies is figured by Donovan. The thorax has a blueifli 

 glofs. 



* Opaca. This is brown ; the fliells have three raifed 

 lines ; the thorax is truncate before. 



•SiNUATA. The thorax of this fpecies is emarginate 

 -ind rough ; the flielk have three raifed lines, finuate at the 

 tip. This is a beautiful fpecies : the thorax is brown, with 

 a filvery glofs ; it is rough, with railed dots. 



* 4-PuNCTATA. The thorax is yellow, with a large 

 black Ipot ; the fliells are yellow, with four black fpots. 



* Gkisea. Grey; the fliells arc fmooth ; the thorax is 

 emarginate. 



Se3ioH B u diflinguiflied by an entirely rounded Lip, and a 

 t/ne-loothid Jaiv. 



4-Maculata. Thorax and fliells black, the latter with 

 two rufous fpots ; the body is rufous : the antennx are 

 ferruginous, brown before the tip, fliells Itriate. 



MuLTiPuxcTATA. Rufous; fli'.lls fubllriatc, with nu- 

 merous rufous dots. This is found chiefly in Sweden. 



PiCEA. Pitchy; fliellf (triate, black, the bafe and band 

 behind are ferruginous. This is a very finall infeCt, and is 

 found in Germany. 



Metallica. This is of a braily colour ; the legs are 

 ferruginous. It is found in divers parts of Saxony. 



C. Lip horny, entire; the Jaiv is Vifid. 



4-N0TATA. Black ; the fliells are truncate, with two 

 rufous fpots. It is found in fome parti of Germany. 

 The antennce are long ; the five lafl joints are perfoliate ; 

 the Ihells are a little (horter than the body ; the abdomen is 

 acute. 



4-PusTULOSA. Black, poliflied ; edge of the thorax 

 and fpots on the fliells are fanguineous. It is found in 

 New Holland ; the fliells are truncate, fliorter than the 

 abdomen. 



Agahicina. This alfo is black and poliflied ; the an- 

 tenna: and legs are yellow. It is found in many parts of 

 Europe, but not in our own country. The fliells are trun- 

 cate, fliorter than the abdomen ; the body is black and im- 

 maculate ; the abdomen pointed. 



D. Lip emarginate, conic; Jaw bifid. 



Fasciat.v. Black ; the fliells are marked with two 

 rufous bands, the fore one fpotted with black. It inhabits 

 North America, and is a rather large infcdl ; though lef« 

 than the 



Grandls, which is an African infeft, and fo named on 

 account of its fize. This is black, and the flicUs are marked 

 with two rufous fpots. 



*4-Pu.sTULArA. Black; the fliells are marked with two 

 ferruginous dots. This is found in England, and in many 

 other parts of Europe. The larva is long, hairy, and 

 grey. 



* 6-Pl'stulata. Black ; fliells ftriate, with three rufous 

 fpots. This is found chiefly in the northern parts of Eu- 

 rope. It is reckoned a very beautiful fpecies ; the antennx 

 are pitchy ; the thorax is ferruginous at the edge ; fpot at 

 the bafe of the fliells finuate, the middle one is uniform ; - 

 that at the tip is fmall and round ; the body beneatli is 

 rufous. 



* NiGRiPENNis. Rufous ; the antenna:, fliells, and breaft 

 are black. This is found chiefly on trees. 



* RuFiPF.s. This is a black infeft; the head, thorax, 

 and legs, are ferruginous. The abdomen is black. 



* iliNEA. This is of a fine fcarlet colour ; the fliells are 

 brafl'y and immaculate. 



* Rum- RONS. Black ; but tlie front, two fpots on the 

 fliells, and legs, are ferruginous. This is found in divert 

 parts of England, and is reckoned a fmall inleft. 



E. The Infclls of this Scliion are charaQtrifed by a hiart- 

 Jhaped Lip, emarginate and crenate, 



'Ger.manica. Black; front and edge of the fliells are 

 ferruginous. SVmctimes the fliells arc marked with a fer- 

 ruginou.s fpoi or two. It depofits its eggs in the carcafes 

 of other infefts, and buries them under ground. It is very 

 like the 



* VjisPiLLO. This infeft, which is not uncommon in our 



own 



