CEBRIO.ITES (Lestreille), a family of Coleopteroun Insect belonging to the section Malacoderma. It has the following chi meters :—Body generally somewhat oval and convex ; wing-case rather soft and flexible ; thorax broader than long, widest at th base, and with the hinder angles acute, or produced into a spine Antennae generally longer than the head and thorax ; mandible terminating in a simple point; joints of the palpi of nearly eget' thickness ; legs moderate, not contractile.
The species of this family are frequently found upon plants ii marshy situations, but very little is known of their habits; thei larval are supposed to live in the ground, and very probably aubsis on the roots of planta.
The genus Cebrio is distinguished from other genera of this fatnil by having all the jointer of the tarsi entire, and without any velvet like pellets beneath, and the posterior thighs of the same size as th anterior. About ten species of this genus have been diecoverec most of which are peculiar to Europe. Celnio gigaa, a species nit mcommon in France, is about three-quarters of an inch in length, .nd of a pale brownish-yellow colour. In the male the head and
hoax and the legs (excepting the thighs) are black ; the head and borax are thickly punctured, and together with the elytra, which se striated, are covered with small yellowish hairs ; the antenna se long, and if extended backwards would reach about half way lawn the elytra. In the female there is so striking a difference in his organ, as to eauee that sex to be mistaken for a distinct species : lore the antenna are very short, and if extended backwards would lot reach farther than the base of the thorax ; the bagel joint is much onger than the other ; the fourth and following joints are short, hick, and joined closely together. The legs of the female are also barter and thicker in proportion than in the other sex.
It is said that the European species of this genus appear in great lumbers after heavy rains.
During Mr. Kirby's observations he discovered no loss than three termites, belonging to the lehneumonidce, on the larva of the insect n question, which accounts for the great difference between the lumber of larva and that of the pupa.