40 



ANNULOSA JAVANICA. 



Faro. 3. NITIDULID^E. Nitwularije Lat. 



The larvae of this family resemble those of the last very closely, as may be seen on inspect- 

 ing the figure of the larva of Nitidula varia Fab. (Silpha grisea Lin.) given by the late Mr. 

 Curtis, in the second volume of the Linnaean Transactions. This larva seems to live on putrid 

 vegetable matter. 



The perfect insects of the family are to be found in almost all substances, some inhabiting 

 flowers, and others carrion. They differ from the Silphidce by their mandibles being biden- 

 tate at the apex, and in general by their anterior tarsi having the three first joints dilated. 

 From the Engidce they may be distinguished by their more peltate form and transverse thorax. 



Genus NITIDULA. Fab. 



77. Picta. N. ovalis, Jronte bipunctata, clypeo truncato, elytris punctulatis : striis elevatis setigens. 



Long. corp. ^. 

 Obs. Species N.grisece Lin. (N. varim Fab.) simillima, at brevior et convexior. Caput ferrugineum punc- 

 tulatum fronte utrinque fossula impressa, clypeo antice truncato, labro emarginato. Thorax ferrugineus punc- 

 tulatus pilis albis raris vestitus. Elytra nigro ferrugineoque varia. 



Fam. 4. ENGID^. 



The typical insects of this family differ in general from those of the last by their elongate form, 

 or by the semi-lunar termination of their maxillary palpi, and minuteness of the penultimate joint 

 of their tarsi. In the genus Cryptophagus the sexes may be distinguished by a difference in the 

 number of joints of their posterior tarsi. And if Mycetophagus, and even Triplax, belong to this 

 family, as I suspect they, with their immediate affinities, will be found to do, then tetramerous 

 insects belong to the stirps of Necrophaga as well as to the Philhydrida. Accurate examination, 

 however, seems to prove that such insects are not truly tetramerous ; the penultimate joint of 

 the tarsi, which is so minute in Engis, becoming in Triplax only more evanescent. The manner 

 in which this change is effected, becomes manifest on comparing the genera Ips, Engis, Triplax, 

 and Erotylus. The connexion existing between these, no one can doubt, and, indeed, M. La- 

 treille long since remarked it. I am not however prepared to say, that the Erotyli fall into 

 this tribe ; but if they should eventually be proved to have this situation in nature, it will be 

 another instance of that manifest relation which exists between the stirps of Necrophagous 

 insects and the Linnaean genera Cassida, Chrysomela, and Coccinella. It is, perhaps, by the 

 Erotyli that the opposite points of the circle of Coleoptera meet, for I do not think that this genus 

 will go well among the true insects with anopluriform larvae. As to the Erotyli being tetra- 

 merous, it is a circumstance to which little importance ought to be attached, since the five 

 articulations of the tarsi are visible in several species, and other insects which are close to the 

 genus, such as Mr. Kirby's genus Spheniscus, are heteromerous. 



Phaleria and its affinities seem also to have a faint relation to these insects, as well as Cerj/lo/i 

 Sylvanus,&ic. But without estimating the degree of importance that ought to be attached to such 

 relations, I shall not at present attempt to do more than indicate them, since the true limits of 



this 



