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CHAPTER XIII. 
THE NECROPHAGA, OR CARRION AND BURYING BEETLES 
AND THEIR ALLIES. 
This section must be regarded as more or less artificial, 
and as adopted for the sake of convenience, rather than 
as being scientifically accurate ; it comprises groups 
of very different appearance and habits ; its members 
(which feed principally upon decaying animal or vege- 
table matter) have the antennae clubbed or incrassate 
at the apex, sometimes elbowed or with a longer basal 
joint, and inserted near the mandibles, which are 
usually strong ; the inner lobe of the maxilla is not 
palpiform ; the tarsi are variable ; the scutellum large, 
and the elytra nearly always covering the sides of the 
abdomen (the apical segments of which are often ex- 
posed), and occasionally truncate. It may be regarded 
as divided into twenty-eight families, the Leptinidse, Sil- 
phidx, Scydmsenidse, Olavigeridx, Pselaphidx, Trichop- 
terygidse, Gorylopliidse, Sphseriidse, Phalacridx, Cocci- 
nellidx, Endomychidx, Erotylidx, Cohjdiidx, Histeridse , 
Nitidulidx, Trogositidx, Monotomidse, Lathridiidse, Cu- 
cnjulse, Byturidse, Cryptophagidx, Scaphidiidx, Myceto- 
phagidx, Dermestidse, Byrrhidse, Geonyssidse, Pamidse, 
and Ueteroceridx ; but it must be admitted that there is 
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