. The Cambridge natural history. Zoology. POLYMORPIIA STAPIIYLINIDAE 225 alx)ut 0000 species are known, some of which are minute, while scarcely any attain a size of more than an inch in length, our common British black cock-tail, or " devil's coach-horse beetle," Oci/jws olcns, being amongst the largest. Though the elytra are short, the wings in many forms are as large as those of the majority of beetles; indeed many Staphylinidae are more apt at taking flight than is usual with Coleoptera ; the wings when not in use are packed away under the short elytra, being transversely folded,
. The Cambridge natural history. Zoology. POLYMORPIIA STAPIIYLINIDAE 225 alx)ut 0000 species are known, some of which are minute, while scarcely any attain a size of more than an inch in length, our common British black cock-tail, or " devil's coach-horse beetle," Oci/jws olcns, being amongst the largest. Though the elytra are short, the wings in many forms are as large as those of the majority of beetles; indeed many Staphylinidae are more apt at taking flight than is usual with Coleoptera ; the wings when not in use are packed away under the short elytra, being transversely folded, and otherwise crumpled, in a com- plicated but orderly manner. It is thought that the power of curling up the abdomen is connected with the jDacking away of the wings after flight; but this is not the case: for though the Insect sometimes experiences a difficulty in fold- ing the wings under the elytra after they have been expanded, yet it overcomes this difficulty by slight movements of the base of the abdomen, rather than 1)V touchincr the wincjs with tlie tip. What the value of this exceptional condition of short elytra and corneous dorsal abdominal segments to the Insect may be is at present quite mysterious. The habits of the members of the family are very varied; many run with great activity; the food is very often small Insects, living or dead; a great many are found in fungi of various kinds, and perhaps eat them. It is in this family that we meet with some of the most remarkable cases of symbiosis, lives of two kinds of creatures mutually accommodated with good will. The relations between the Staphylinidae of the genera Atemeles and Lomechusa, and certain ants, in the habitations of which they dwell, are very interesting. The beetles are never found out of the ants' nests, or at any rate not very far from them. The most friendly relations exist between them and the ants: they have patches of yellow hairs, and these VOL. VI Q. Fig. 105.—Staphyliuidae. A, Larva o
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