220 
S I L S I L 
a ferruginous spot or two. It deposits its eggs in the car¬ 
cases of other insects, and buries them under ground. It is 
very like the 
32. Silpha vespillo.—This insect, which is not uncommon 
in our own country, is the most remarkable of the European 
species. It is distinguished by having the wing-sheaths con¬ 
siderably shorter than the abdomen, or as if cut off at the 
tips; they are also marked by two waved, orange-coloured 
transverse bars, the rest of the insect being black; the gene¬ 
ral length of the animal is about three quarters of an inch, 
The vespillo seeks out some decaying animal substance in 
which it may deposit its eggs, and in order to their greater 
security, contrives to bury it under ground. Three or four 
of these insects, working in concert, have been known to 
drag under the surface, the body of a mole in the space of 
an hour, so that not a trace of it has appeared above ground. 
The eggs are white, and of an oval shape: from these are 
hatched the larvae, which, when full grown, are about an 
inch long, of a yellowish-white colour, with a scaly orange- 
coloured shield, or bar, across the middle of each division of 
the body. Each of these larvae forms for itself an oval cell 
in the ground, in which it changes to a yellowish chrysalis, 
resembling that of a beetle; out of which, in the space of 
three weeks, proceeds the perfect insect. This species is 
reckoned very elegant in form, but it generally diffuses a 
very strong and unpleasant smell; it flies with strength and 
rapidity, and is usually seen on the wing during the hottest 
part of the day. 
33. Silpha mortuorum.—Black; shells marked with two 
ferruginous bands; the club of the antennas is black; the 
hind-thighs are unarmed —This is found in many parts of 
Germany, preying on carcases and fungi. 
VI.—Lip square and emarginate. 
34. Silpha scarabaeoides.—Oval, black; the shells are 
marked with two ferruginous spots. 
35. Silpha lunata.—Oval, black; shells with a lunate 
yellow spot at the tip. It is about the size of the last, and 
is found in Germany. 
36. Silpha colon.—Yellow; the spots on the thorax, and 
marginal spot on the shells, black.—It is found in Sweden. 
The head is black; the antennae are yellow; the club is 
black; the thorax is downy, with six spots disposed in a 
streak; the abdomen is black, edged with yellow. 
37. Silpha atomaria.—This insect is smooth and black; 
the shells have crenat'e striae; the legs are pale. 
38. Silpha melanocephala.—This is black and smooth; 
the shells are grey, with a common black spot at the base. 
39. Silpha unipuncta.—This is black; shells yellowish, 
with a common black spot. The shells are sometimes im¬ 
maculate. 
40. Silpha fimetaria.—Black, immaculate; the shells are 
very smooth.—It is found chiefly in dung. 
41. Silpha minuta.—This is black and small; the shells 
are striate; legs of the same colour.—It is found in many 
parts of England. 
42. Silpha pulicaria.—This is oblong and black; the 
shells are abbreviated; the abdomen pointed.—This is found 
chiefly among flowers. 
VII.—The insects of this section have a long and entire lip; 
the antennae are serrate. 
43. Silpha saxicornis.—Smooth, polished, and of a ches- 
nut colour; the antennae are black. 
44. Silpha depressa.—Smooth, ferruginous; the shells are 
sub-striate, and the body is depressed.—It is found under the 
bark of oak-trees. 
VIII.—Lip and jaw unknown. 
Of this section there are no English species; it will be 
sufficient to mention the following :— 
45. Silpha insignita.—Black ; shells obsoletely striate, 
with two large scarlet spots.—Common at Berlin; as is the 
next. 
46. Silpha nigricans.—Blackish; the shells are smooth, 
with four yellow spots. 
47. Silpha histeroides.—Black; the antennae and legs are 
red; the shells are abbreviated with a red spot.—It inhabits 
Upsal, and is the size of a louse. 
SILPHIUM [of Pliny. SiAprou of Dioscorides], in Bo¬ 
tany, a genus of the class syngenesia, order polygamia, ne- 
cessaria, natural order of compositae, oppositilohae, corymbi- 
ferae (Juts.) —Generic Character. Calyx, common ovate, 
imbricate, squarrose: scales ovate-oblong, bent back in the 
middle, prominent every way, permanent. Corolla, com¬ 
pound radiate. Corollets hermaphrodite in the disk many : 
females in the ray fewer. Proper of the hermaphrodites one- 
petalled, funnel-form, five-toothed; the tube scarcely nar¬ 
rower than the border:—of the females lanceolate, very long, 
often three-toothed. Stamina in the hermaphrodites: fila¬ 
ments five, capillary, very short. Anther cylindrical, tubu¬ 
lar. Pistil, in the hermaphrodites: germ round, very slen¬ 
der. Style filiform, very long, villose. Stigma simple:—in 
the females, germ obcordate. Style simple, short. Stigmas 
two, bristle-shaped, length of the style. Pericarp, none. 
Calyx unchanged. Seeds in the hermaphrodites none: in 
the females solitary, sub membranaceous, obcordate, with the 
edge membranaceous, twc-horned, emarginate. Receptacle 
chaffy: chaffs 1 iuear.— Essential Character. Calyx squar¬ 
rose. Seed-down margined-two-horned. Receptacle chaffy. 
1. Silphium laciniatum, or jagged-leaved silphium.— 
Leaves alternate, pinnate-sinuate. Root perennial. Stem 
twice the height of a man, as thick as the thumb, quite sim¬ 
ple, smooth below, above rugged with brown tubercles and 
white spreading hairs, round. Leaves petioled, two feet in 
length and a foot in breadth, embracing at the base, pinna- 
tifid ; margin of the upper leaves purplish. Calyx of ten 
scales, ending in large awl-shaped spines. Petals of the ray 
thirty, length of the calyx, with a bifid slender style. Florets 
of the disk yellow, many, separated by chaff’s, attenuated at 
the base, with a simple style. Seeds in the ray membrana¬ 
ceous, oval, emarginate, with two small awns:—in the disk 
columnar, four-cornered, abortive.—Native of North Ame¬ 
rica. 
2. Silphium terebinthinum, or broad-leaved silphium.— 
Leaves alternate, ovate, serrate, rugged ; root-leaves cordate. 
The terminal flower on the stem flowers first, and when this 
begins to seed the lateral peduncles of the panicle begin to 
extend and proceed to flower.—Native of North America. 
3. Silphium perfoliatum, or square-stalked silphium.— 
Leaves opposite deltoid, petioled, perfoliate ; stem four-cor¬ 
nered, even, taller than a man. Root perennial.—Native of 
North America. 
4. Silphium connatum, or round-stalked silphium.— 
Leaves opposite, sessile, perfoliate. Root perennial. Stem 
the height of a man, as thick as the thumb, erect.—Native of 
North America. 
5. Silphium Astericus, or hairy - stalked silphium.— 
Leaves undivided, sessile, opposite; lower alternate. Root 
perennial. Stem four or five feet high, thick, solid, set with 
prickly hairs, and having many purple spots.—Native of 
North America. 
6. Silphium trifoliatum, or three-leaved silphium.—Leaves 
in threes. Root perennial and woody. Stems annual, rising 
five feet high or more in good land, of a purplish colour, and 
branching towards the top. Flowers upon pretty long pe ¬ 
duncles, solitary. Calyx of three rows of imbricate leaves, 
the outer row smallest.—Native of many parts of North 
America. 
7. Silphium trilobatum, or three-lobed silphium.—Leaves 
opposite, sessile, wedge form. This is a weakly plant, creep¬ 
ing far among other vegetables, but more luxuriant and 
upright towards the top.—Native of the West Indies. Fre¬ 
quent in Jamaica, in low marshy lands. 
8. Silphium arborescens, or tree silphium.—Leaves lan¬ 
ceolate, alternate, rugged, slightly serrate; stem shrubby. 
—Native of Vera Cruz, in New Spain. 
Propagation and Culture. —All these plarfts except the last, 
may 
