NECROPHAGA ANL) THEIR ALLIES 
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head retractile, and the antennae and legs capable of 
being closely packed to the body. The antennae have 
the basal joint very long, and are strongly clubbed ; 
the mandibles are very strong, and, with the labrum 
above, and mentuin below, nearly close up the mouth ; 
the paraglossce are long and divergent; the elytra 
truncate at the apex, leaving two segments of the 
abdomen exposed; and the legs wide and fiat, the 
separate parts packing one upon another, and the 
tibiae being strongly dentate or spinose externally ; 
the middle and hinder pair, moreover, are widely 
apart, and the tarsi in all (except Acritus, which has 
four-jointed posterior tarsi) are five-jointed. The 
abdomen has five segments, of which the first, is 
usually much the widest, and the wings are ample. 
The true Histers, from Platysoma to Paromalus in- 
clusive, have the prosternum produced into a chin- 
piece, for the protection and reception of the head, 
which is wanting in Saprinus and the rest of the 
family. 
They arc found chiefly in dung or decaying vege- 
table matter; some species, however, preferring dead 
animals, others frequenting ants’ nests, and a few 
living under bark or in wood. They fly strongly, 
and, when handled, often simulate death, from which 
habit their name Sister ( histrio , a mimic) is derived. 
One of the prettiest species, Sister bimacidatus 
(Plate VI., Fig. 4), is not uncommon in cow-dung, 
under stones, &c.; and with it the rounded, deeply 
sculptured Onthophilus striatus may be found. 
The larvic appear to be found in similar situations 
to the perfect insects ; they are linear, depressed, 
nearly smooth, soft, and dirty white in colour, except 
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