182 MANUAL OF NATUEAL HISTORY. 



base, ending in a club ; palpi short ; head 

 small, ovate ; thorax more or less gibbous ; 

 body convex, orbicular or globose ; tibiae 

 often spinose and compressed ; tarsi of four 

 or five joints. Counterfeit death by rolling 

 themselves into a ball. (Anisotomidce, Ste- 

 phens.) 



IV. SUB-ORDER.— Carkion-Beetles (Necrophaga). 



Mandibles generally elongate, exserted ; maxillary 

 palpi with the basal joint minute or wanting ; 

 maxillae with a double membranaceous process, the 

 outer lobe often slender, rarely jointed ; body more 

 or less elongate, depressed ; elytra frequently ab- 

 breviated ; legs all formed for walking ; anterior 

 tibiae simple. Feed on decaying animal and vege- 

 table matter. 



17. Family. — Scavenger-Beetles (Scaphidiidae). An- 



tennae more or less clavate ; club 5-jointed, 

 the second joint often minute ; maxillary 

 palpi generally exserted ; mandibles mostly 

 bidentate at tip ; head inserted up to eyes 

 in thorax ; thorax convex ; legs long. Feed 

 on decaying fungi, rotten bones. Frequent 

 dunghills. 



18. Family. — True Carrion-Beetles (Silphidae). An- 



tennae clavate ; club usually 4 or 5-jointed, 

 maxillary palpi filiform, the last joint cylin- 

 dric ; mandibles entire at tip ; head inflexed, 

 contracted behind into a neck ; thorax large, 

 shield-shaped ; elytra simple, outer margin 



