MlTIDULlDiE.- 
-INSECTS.- 
-DeKSIESTIDjB. 
211 
on the shore in the Bay of Beikos, opposite to Con- 
stantinople. 
Its strange immense transverse head, formidable 
mouth, the apparent want of eyes, and the curious 
situation of the antennse, all distinguish it. In place 
of eyes, it has only two small dots. Of course the 
figure of the antenna is greatly magnified. Fig. 75 is 
an allied species. 
Family— ANISTOMIDiE. 
There are thirty species of Anistomidje, beetles, 
generally of small size, found in fungi. One of them 
is found in the Truffle. A figure of the Truffle and of 
this beetle, Leiodes cinnamomea, with its bent tibiae, 
is subjoined. The species of Agathidiun and Clambus, 
Fig. 76. 
Truffle beetle (Leiodes cinnamomea). 
on being alarmed, roll themselves into a ball, and look 
like little beads or “mites” of earth. But I must 
dwell but cursorily on these and other curious little 
insects. 
The family Scaphidiad.® contains pretty insects, 
with the abdomen extending beyond the elytra. They 
are found generally in fungi. On Plate 4, fig. 8, is 
shown the ScapMdium quadrimaculatum. 
Family — NITIDULID.®. 
This family is of considerable extent, and contains 
insects generally of small size, and for the most part of 
an oval or oblong form. The greater part of them are 
more or less depressed, though others are very convex, 
and some even subglobular. Although some of them 
are metallic ou the surface, yet, for the most part, they 
are covered with a fine short pubescence. The man- 
dibles are short, but strong, and frequently notched at 
the tips. The palpi are short. The antennae consist 
of eleven, and, in a few cases, of ten joints ; the two or 
three last joints formed into a short club. The elytra 
are truncated at the end, and in one or two of the 
genera (Ci'tows Conotelm) the abdomen extends beyond 
them much as in the Staphylinidae. The normal number 
of abdominal segments is five ; the sixth, when it exists, 
is small, and nearly always only present in the males. 
In the perfect state some of the NitiduUdcs are found 
under bark, and others on flowers, while some are found 
among bones and dead or decaying animal substances. 
The larvEE are depressed, and are furnished on the end 
of the body •with four small, horny, conical appendages, 
curved upwards, and with small fleshy protuberances 
on the margin. The pup® are found amongst the 
moist earth beneath the surface of the ground, from 
which they proceed in due time, the perfect insect 
being generally found in the crevices of bark. The 
larva of some species live also, according to Erichson, in 
the galls of the oak. The distinguishing characteristics 
of the Nitidulae are stated below. 
Lacordaire divides the group into six tribes, which 
he briefly characterizes in the following table : — 
I. Antennae of eleven joints. 
A. Two or three last dorsal segments of the abdomen 
exposed. 
Maxilte with two lobes, . . Brachypteridm. 
Maxillae with one lobe, . . Carpophilidce. 
B. Pygidium only exposed. 
h. Epistome not projecting between the mandibles. 
Prothorax not covering the base of the elytra, 
Bitvlulidoi. 
Prothorax slightly covering the base of the 
elytra, . . . Cychromidcs. 
hh. Epistome projecting between the mandibles, 
IpddK. 
11. Antennse of ten joints, . . . Rldzopliagidm 
Species of these tribes occur in this country. 
Family — DERMESTIDAE. 
The insects of this family are peculiarly destructive. 
The name Dermestes was given to a genus in it from 
the Greek word dspp,a, “ a skin,” the insects making 
Fig. 77. 
Dermestes murinus and larva. 
great ravages in skins and furs. Most of them have a 
certain faculty of drawing their legs under the body. 
The Dermestes murinus may be found in the bodies of 
moles stuck up in fields to dry. 
The larva of Anthrenus muscorum, whose ravages 
in insect cabinets are at times most considerable, is 
covered with bunches of diverging hairs, which singu- 
larly protect it. Fig. 77 shows an Anthrenus, and the 
larva of one. 
There are fifteen British species contained in the 
genera Dermestes, Attagenus, Megatoma, Tiresias, 
Anthrenus and Trinodes. 
On the family ByrkhiD/E, which are more or less 
globose insects covered with silky pile, I cannot enter, 
nor into the aquatic families, Heterocerida;, with 
