248 
BRITISH BEETLES. 
These insects are all of considerable rarity, and of 
some beauty, though not peculiar for delicacy of out- 
line. They frequent old wood, dead twigs, &c., and 
are usually found in the early part of summer. 
Brachytarsus scabrosus (Plate XI., Pig. 4) is occa- 
sionally taken in May-blossom in the London district, 
also occurring sparingly in the north, where it is re- 
placed by B. varius, which is not so brightly coloured, 
and very rare in the south. The larvae of both of 
these species appear to be parasitic upon Cocci. 
The species of Tropideres are of great rarity here ; 
though sometimes beaten out of dry dead hedges, or 
taken from rotten wood : they somewhat resemble the 
next-mentioned insect in miniature, but have the basal 
joint of the tarsi much longer in proportion. 
Anthribus albinus, a handsome brown and white 
insect, is remarkable for having the antennas in the 
male as long as the body, and has usually been re- 
garded as connecting the Rhynchoplwra with the Lon- 
gicornia, to certain species of which section it presents 
a close resemblance. 
Platyrrhinus, a large, exceedingly broad, flat, strong, 
black-brown-and-white mottled insect, occurs rarely 
near London, and chiefly in the western counties (be- 
ing not uncommon near Cheltenham) ; it lives upon 
Sphseria, and other fungi growing on asli-treos, &c., 
burrowing also in the rotten wood, or lurking under 
loose bark, and having a particularly comical way of 
elevating itself by its front legs, though usually of 
sedate appearance. 
The little Choragus Sheppardi is peculiar, on account 
of its power of jumping, although its hind femora are 
not widened. It is beaten out of dead hedge-sticks at 
