I 
COLEOPTERA. 141 
them ; this being done the female deposits her eggs in 
the carrion, which supplies food for the larvae. It is 
recorded that in fifty days four beetles buried four 
frogs, three small birds, two fishes, one mole, two grass¬ 
hoppers, the entrails of a fish, and two pieces of ox 
liver; so that they may be looked upon as useful sca¬ 
vengers. The insects of the genus Necrophorus are of 
rather a large size, and are often adorned with orange- 
coloured bands. The woodcut represents the iY mor- 
tuorum , Sexton or Burying-beetle. 
The Devil’s Coach-horse must be fa- 
• 
miliar by sight to everyone ; it is a 
long black creature, which has the 
habit of turning up the tail and open¬ 
ing its jaws m a most threatening 
way when disturbed. The elytra or 
wing-cases are remarkably short; 
hence they belong to sub-division 
called Brache-lytra (Short-Elytra). buktixu-bkbtle. 
They are active, voracious feeders, of an elongated 
form ; reminding one, at first sight, of a large black 
earwig, only the tail is not provided with a forceps. 
The scientific name of this beetle is Goerius olens; the 
first word being the Greek word, meaning “ mournful,” 
on account of the black sombre colouring; but Ocypns 
(“ swift-footed ”) is adopted by some Entomologists ; 
olens refers to the foetid emanations from the tail 
tubercles. 
The large Stag-beetle (Plate VL, Fig. 8,) belongs to 
the sub-section Cordylocerata , and sub-division Lamelli - 
comes. The stag-like horns are the mandibles, which 
in the male are enormously enlarged. The Stag-horn 
