724 CLASS IV. mSECTA. 



thoracic cavity, Necropkorus and Weevils chirp by rubbing the 

 abdomen against the hinder end of the elytra. 



In order to cope with the large amount of material presented 

 to the systematist by this enormous order, it has been divided 

 into six sub-orders, five of which are well characterized, while the 

 sixth (i.e. the Polymorpha) consists of those beetles which do not 

 fall into line with any of the other five. This is obviously not a 

 natural system ; convenience and insufficient knowledge alone 

 excuse it. It is used here ; but the following note on a proposed 

 new scheme is also given : 



L. Ganglbauer (Miinchen. Koleop. Zeitschr., I, pp. 271-319) has pro- 

 posed a new classification of Coleoptera, depending largely on the nervura- 

 tion of the (metathoracic) wings. Of these wings there are three main 

 types : (i) the Adephaga type, characterised by certain cross-veins ; 

 (ii) the Staphylinoid type, without cross-veins ; and (iii) the Malacoderm 

 type, chiefly characterised by the presence of a 2-pronged fork with the 

 prongs directed towards the base of the wing, formed by confluence of 

 two branches of the median vein. The ADEPHAGA are further divided 

 from all other Coleoptera as a distinct sub-order. The outline of the 

 classification is as follows : 



Sub-order I. ADEPHAGA, chiefly characterised by the wings of the first 

 type, simple tubular testes, and the two-jointed tarsi of the primitive 

 campodeiform larvae. 



Sub-order II. POLYPHAGA. All other Coleoptera. Wings of second 

 or third type. Testes more complicated. Larvae very various, often 

 legless, and never with two-jointed tarsi. This sub-order is further 

 divided into six series : 



(i) Staphylinoidea \together very nearly corresponding to the Poly- 

 pi) Diversicornia J morpha of the classification given above. 



(iii) Heteromera, 



(iv) Phytophaga. 

 (v) Rhynchophora. 



(vi) Lamellicornia. 



It is thus seen that Ganglbauer considers the Lamellicornia the highest- 

 developad, and the Adephaga decidedly the most primitive, Coleoptera. 



Sub-order 1. LAMELLICORNIA. 



Tarsi with five segments. The distal segments of the antennae to the 

 number of three or more are flattened on one side and leaf-like. When at rest 

 these leaf-like segments lie touching one another and cause the antennae to 

 appear clubbed ; but they can be opened out. 



The larvae of this sub-order have three pairs of thoracic legs, and their 

 body is somewhat curled and swollen posteriorly. They live underground 

 and eat decaying vegetable matter such as roots and dung. Some of them 

 stridulate. In the imago the nervous system is very concentrated, in 

 some genera there being, behind the oesophagus, but one ganglion. 



Fam. 1. Passalidae. Elytra conceal abdomen. Large and movable 

 labrum. Antennae curled when at rest, and their lamellae then touch 

 one another. Five abdominal sterna visible. 



Large black beetles found in tropical forests. The third pair of larval 

 legs modified to form a very small toothed stump which plays over a 



