BEETLES. 



401 



Fie. 502. Manticora maxillosa. 



FIG. 503. Megacephala sene- 

 f/alensis. 



scutellum is completely concealed. The species are usually marked with dark brown 

 and yellow. 



The last family of beetles to be considered is the CICINDELID^E, which, not only on 



account of its structural peculiarities, but also because 



of the exclusively predaceous habits of its species, is 



generally considered the highest family of Coleoptera. 



The special character by which they are separated from 



the Carabidae is the place of insertion of the antennae. 



In the Cicindelidae, these organs are inserted on the 



front above the base of the mandibles. The general 



form and usual pattern of col- 

 oration of the insects of this 

 family serve to make them 

 easily recognized. In a few 

 forms the elytra are connate 

 and the wings absent, but most 

 of these insects both run and 

 fly rapidly. Many of the spe- 

 cies live on the sandy banks of 

 rivers and of the ocean, some 



tropical species live in trees, and a few abound in open places 

 in the woods. Coquerel states that Cicindela trilunaris, from 

 Madagascar, has the power of running upon water. Species 

 of Megacephala are crepuscular, remaining in their holes dur- 

 ing the day, and running about on the sand just before and 



after sunset. Bates states that Tetracha nocturna and T. pallipes are nocturnal in 



habits. The former species is of the color of the sand upon which it runs, and is thus 



protected from insectivorous birds. T. pallipes is, on the contrary, brilliantly colored, 



and owes its protection from insect-eating animals to its very strong, disagreeable odor. 

 The larvae of Cicindelidae live in holes in the ground, the holes being, in some spe- 

 cies, a foot and a half in depth. The larvae have four-jointed 



antennae, three-jointed maxillary palpi, and two-jointed labial 



palpi. Upon each side of the head are the ocelli, which are 



two in number in Amblychila and eight in species of Tetracha, 



Omus, and Cicindela. These larvae are assisted in their motions 



up and down their burrows by a pair of protuberances which 



are armed with hooks. When waiting for prey these larvae 



rest at the top of their burrows their metallic-colored head 



and prothorax serving as operculum for the entrance to their 



burrow with their sickle-shaped mandibles wide open. When 



the larva has made a capture of some insect that incautiously 



attempted to run over its head, it retires into its burrow to eat 



its prey at its leisure. It is said that the larvae of Cicindela 



campestris, a European species, leave their holes at night to 



search for prey. 



Of the group of Manticorini, those Cicindelidae that have 



the posterior coxae separated, the eyes small, and wings absent, only two genera are 



found in this country, both of which are confined to North America. In Amblychila 

 voi,. ii. 26 



FIG. 504. Amblychila cylln- 

 driformis. 



