98 
BRITISH BEETLES. 
coloured species, found principally in fungi, moss, or 
dung, and considerably contracted at botli extremi- 
ties, especially behind, the front being more obtuse. 
The abdomen is usually elongate and pointed ; but, 
when the insects are dead, the segments run up 
frequently, as in a telescope, so that it is by no means 
easy to preserve the correct facies of the insect in a 
dried specimen. The best way in mounting them is 
to put gum arabic (with which a little white sugar has 
been melted) under the tail ; and, as soon as that is 
dry, gum the entire last segment over with tragacanth, 
keeping the abdomen from contracting (if you can) 
with a card brace. They should not be dried 
quickly. 
Their antennas are inserted towards the hinder part 
of the side margin of the forehead, before the eyes, 
and the prothoracic spiracles are conspicuous on re- 
moving the front coxae. Their maxillary palpi have the 
apical joint subulate in some species ; and the antennae 
are filiform and eleven-jointed in most, but ten-jointed 
and thickened in one genus, Hypocyptus , comprised 
of very small shining globular insects, which have 
somewhat the appearance of the Agathidia, in the next 
section. The legs are usually spiny, and the tarsi 
have five joints in all except Hypocyptus , which has but 
four. The anterior tarsi are widened at the base in 
the male, and both sexes often exhibit very striking 
characters at the apex of the abdomen, both on the 
upper and under sides. 
The Tachini, moderately large, flat, and stout- 
looking (but fragile), abound in rotten fungi and 
dung, being also often taken at the fermenting sap of 
cut-down trees. 
