122 . NORTHERN ZOOLOGY. 



Family HISTERID^. Histeridans. 



This family, though not numerous, presents to the scrutinizing Entomologist 

 many different forms, which appear to lead many different ways. M. Latreille has 

 observed with respect to it, that though, in many respects, the Histers seem to 

 approach the coprophagous Lamellicorns, yet that other considerations founded 

 upon their anatomy indicate a station near the Silphidte, 8 which he says is likewise 

 the opinion of M. L. Dufour : accordingly there are several forms in the family 

 that appear to tend that way : thus Onthophilus exhibits some of the peculiar 

 characters of Micropeplus, one of the Nitidulidce ; Sphcerites, one of the last- 

 named family, 9 but of a different general aspect, was long regarded as a Ulster; 

 and in the typical form, or true Histers may be traced many characters which are 

 also to be found in Necrophorus. But still I am of opinion that the Histeridce are 

 the steppingstone, as I have before observed, on the one side from the Necro- 

 phaga and on the other from the Philhydrida to the Lamellicorn tribes, but that 

 they diverge into two branches, one leading to the coprophagous Lamellicorns, 

 and the other to the lignivorous ones, or stag-beetles. 



Mr. Mac Leay, as I lately hinted, has associated the tribe we are considering, with 

 the latter portion of the Lamellicorn beetles, forming a separate secondary group of 

 them under the denomination of Rectoeera, which he has further subdivided into 

 two circles or columns, which, from the supposed nature of their food, he distin- 

 guishes by the appellations Saprophagous and Thaler ophagous, or devourers of 

 putrescent and nonprutescent substances : the former consisting of the Histeridce, 

 and the latter of the Lucanidce. But is there really this distinction between them? 

 The former group, besides dung, which is their more general pabulum, feed also 

 upon animal matter, upon fungi, and upon decaying timber, and many upon the 

 sap exuding from the wounds of trees ; the latter, in their feeding state, are gene- 

 rally found in putrescent wood, and therefore are saprophagous ; what they feed 

 upon in their perfect state appears not to have been clearly ascertained, and their 

 oral organs scarcely afford a certain indication of the nature of their food. If they 

 are found to feed upon the exuding sap of trees, this is hardly sufficient to dis- 

 tinguish them from the Histers, which very often do the same. It seems to me, 

 therefore, that I best follow the guidance of nature, when I consider the Histeridce 



8 Crust. Arachn. et Ins. i, 491. " Gyll. Ins. Suec i, 241, 31. 



