675 . 
NITIDULA COLON. 
Order Coleoptera. Fam. NitidulidseCW. Necropbagi Lat. 
Type of the Genus, Silpha grisea Linn. 
Nitidula Fab., Oliv., Lat., Panz., Gyll., Curt . — Silpha Linn. 
Antennw inserted on each side of the clypeus, a little longer than 
the head, capitate, pubescent, slightly pilose and 11 -jointed, 
basal joint large, semiovate, being produced internally, 2nd 
obovate and stouter than the 3rd, which is longer than the 5 
following ; 4th sometimes shorter than the 5th ; 6th and 7th 
subglobose, 8th stouter, cup-shaped, the remainder forming a 
stout ovate club; 9th and 10th joints bowl-shaped, 11th orbi- 
cular, a little pointed, with a gland or membrane at the apex (6). 
Labrum transverse, semiovate, bilobed, being deeply notched in 
the. centre and densely ciltated (1). 
Mandibles produced, strong, elongate-trigonate, the apex fur- 
nished with 2 strong teeth, ciliated on the inside (2). 
Maxillw terminating in an elongated, ovate, densely ciliated 
lobe. Palpi not much longer, 4-jointed, basal joint minute, 2nd 
obovate truncate, 3rd shorter, subquadrate, 4th the longest, 
linear, the apex rounded and furnished with a gland (3) . 
Mentum transverse-ovate, the base and anterior margin straight, 
sides pilose. Lip broad, forming 2 rounded hairy lobes. Palpi 
inserted at the base, not remote, attached to small scapes, tri- 
articulate, basal joint minute, 2nd elongate-obtrigonate, 3rd the 
largest, oval and a little curved (4). 
Head rather broad : clypeus narrowed: eyes small but often prominent. 
Thorax much broader than the head, transverse, semiorbicular, base 
nearly straight, the angles acute, sides margined, anterior angles often 
forming 2 trigonate lobes : scutel triangular. Elytra slightly con- 
vex, semielliptic, the base truncated, the apex rounded and covering 
the abdomen. Wings ample. Legs rather short: thighs stoutish : 
tibiae compressed, dilated at the apex and furnished icith short spurs, 
the posterior with several spines at the apex : tarsi 5- jointed , 4 basal 
joints short and hairy beneath, 3 first dilated and bilobed in the an- 
terior pair in the males, ls£ joint attached to the side, nearly con- 
cealed, 2nd subquadrate, 3rd truncated obliquely , 4th cup-shaped, 
more quadrate in the hinder pair, §th very long, clavate : claws 
stout and curved (5, afore leg). 
Larvae depressed, spiny, tapering to the apex which is furcate ; pectoral 
feet six. 
Colon Linn. — Curt. Guide, Gen. 149. 11. 
Thickly and minutely punctured and sparingly clothed with 
short depressed hairs, dark dull reddish brown ; head blackish, 
mouth and antennae ferruginous, club brown : thorax with se- 
veral foveae on the disc, the margins ferruginous ; elytra with 
the basal half dark, more or less maculated with deep ochre, the 
apical half ochreous, bearing a dark transverse mark more or 
less divided. Obs. I have a var. entirely fulvous, with paler 
spots on the elytra. 
In the Author s and other Cabinets. 
