. The Cambridge natural history. Zoology. 232 COLEOPTERA A the geneva, Meligethes and Epuracn are among the most abundant of our beetles. Most of what is known as to the larvae is due to Ferris ; several have been found living in flowers ; that of Pria haunts the flower of Xalaniim dulcamara at the junction of the stamens with the corolla; the larva of Meligethes aeneus sometimes occasions much loss by prevent- ing the formation of seed in cultivated Cruciferae, such as Eape. These floricolous larvae grow with great rapidity, and then leave the flowers to pupate in the ground. The larva
. The Cambridge natural history. Zoology. 232 COLEOPTERA A the geneva, Meligethes and Epuracn are among the most abundant of our beetles. Most of what is known as to the larvae is due to Ferris ; several have been found living in flowers ; that of Pria haunts the flower of Xalaniim dulcamara at the junction of the stamens with the corolla; the larva of Meligethes aeneus sometimes occasions much loss by prevent- ing the formation of seed in cultivated Cruciferae, such as Eape. These floricolous larvae grow with great rapidity, and then leave the flowers to pupate in the ground. The larva of Nitidula lives in carcases, though it is not very different from that of Pria. The larva of tforuiiia. lives in FIG. 112.—Pria dulcamarae. fermenting sap, and has four hooks curv- Britain. A, Larva (after ing upwards at the extremity of the body. Ferris) ; B, perfect Insect. .„,"' . /-/ 7 7 7 • ", The curious genus Uybocephalus consists of some very small, extremely convex Insects that live in flowers in Southern Europe; they have only four joints to the tarsi. The perfect Insects of the group Ipides are remarkable from having a stridulating organ on the front of the head. The classi- fication of the well-known genus Pihizophagus has given rise to much discussion; although now usually placed in Mtidulidae, \vc think it undoubtedly belongs to Cucujidae. Fam. 29. Trogositidae.—Differs from Nitidulidae in the struc- ture of tin' tarsi ; tliese appear f lefour- jointed, with tlie third joint similar in size and form to the jircccdi nij ; tliei/ are, however, reaUt/ five-jointed, an eX- fre/rtC/1/ sit oft liana/ joint lici/iif /'/'/'Sent. Hind COXae continuous. The chili of cacli antenna is hilat,-,-all// asymmetric, and the sensitive surface is confined to certain parts of the joints. There are some 400 or 500 species of Trogositidae, but nearly all of them are exotic. The larvae (Fig. 113, A), are predaceous, destroying other FIG. \\$.—TemnocMa coerulea. Eu
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