84 



INTRODUCTION. 



erected into a separate family, but they appear to differ from the 

 ISilphid^e only in the formation of the anterior coxae and their 

 surroundings. A large number of blind cave-insects of the genera 

 BatJiyscia, Adelops, etc., belong to the family. 



The larvae of the various genera are very different, those of 

 Necrophorus being large, fleshy, inactive grubs, with small spinose 

 plates on the dorsal segments, while those of Silpha, in most cases, 

 are very active and are onisciform, or shaped like wood-lice, with 

 the segments above entirely chitinous, the abdominal ones being 

 furnished with lateral processes ; they differ, however, considerably 

 inter se. 



One of the most peculiar genera belonging to the family is 

 Pteroloma, GylL, which superficially resembles Nebria and was 

 included by all the older workers under the Caeabid^e, until 

 Erichson (Arch. Naturg. 1837, i, p. 119) pointed out its affinities 

 to the Silphid^: ; it is remarkable for possessing two ocelli on 



Fig. 39. — Necrophorus vespillo. 

 Larva X 3. (After Schiodte.) 



the vertex, and the Japauese genus Camioleum, Lewis, which also 

 has two ocelli, ought perhaps to be referred to the PTEKOLOMiNiE. 

 Apatetica is another genus of Silphid^e, closely allied to Pteroloma r 

 whose members very closely resemble species of Lebia ; two 

 species are known, one of which, A. lebioides, Hope, was originally 

 found in the Himalayas. 



The Silphid^; are for the most part confined to the Northern 

 Hemisphere and are characteristic of cold and temperate countries ; 

 very few occur in the Tropics. Necrodes, Necrophorus, Silpha r 



