228 
NATURAL HISTORY OH 
conspicuous in the tribe of Cantharidje, or blis- 
tering beetles, many of which are so much cele- 
brated for their vesicatory properties. The group 
is well distinguished by the hooks of the tarsi, which 
are so deeply divided that they appear double. The 
present genus is destitute of wings, and the elytra 
are of an oval or triangular form, the one overlap- 
ping the other at the base, and they diverge widely 
from each other at the tip. They leave a consider- 
able portion of the abdomen uncovered, especially 
in the female, which has that part of the body 
unusually large. The most singular circumstance 
in the natural history of these insects, is the sup- 
posed parasitical nature of the larvae, which are said 
to adhere to the bodies of flies and bees, and to live 
upon their juices, which they extract by suction. But 
the observations on which this opinion is founded 
are far too inconclusive to establish its truth. They 
are characteristic of European countries, the greater 
number occurring in Spain and Britain. Among the 
latter is the species figured, which is of a brassy 
lustre, variegated with tints of purple and violet* 
The thorax and elytra are dark copper colour, 
glossed on the sides with violet; the former covered 
with punctures, and the latter with small tubercles 
which often run together and make the surface 
rough. The abdomen is likewise rough ; the co- 
lour dark green, with the hinder margin of the seg- 
ments coppery and violescent. The under side is 
golden colour and purple ; the legs black, inclining 
