COLEOPTERA. $83 



in the form of the body. As with the blister-beetles, the 

 hind tarsi are four-jointed, and the fore and middle tarsi 

 are five-jointed ; but unlike the members of that family, the 

 body and wing-covers are firm, and the head is narrower 

 than the prothorax. 



These insects occur chiefly in dry and warm regions. 

 Thus while we have comparatively few species in the North- 

 eastern United States, there are many in the Southwest. 

 Most of the species feed on dry vegetable matter, and often 

 on that which is partially decomposed ; some live in dung, 

 some in dead animal matter, others in fungi, and a few 

 prey upon larvae. More than four hundred species occur in 

 this country. The three following will serve to illustrate 

 the variations in form and habits : 



The Meal-worm, Tenebrio molitor (Te-neb'ri-o mol'i-tor). 

 This is a well-known pest in granaries and mills. The 

 larva is a hard, waxy-yellow, cylindrical worm, which meas- 

 ures when full grown an inch or more in length, and 

 closely resembles a wire-worm ; it feeds on flour and 

 meal. The beetle is black, and about five eighths 

 of an inch in length (Fig. 710). 



The Forked Fungus-beetle, Boletotherus bifur- 

 ens (Bol-et-o-the'rus bi-fur'cus), is common in the 

 Northeastern United States and in Canada about the large 

 toadstools (Polyporns) which grow on the sides of trees. 

 The surface of the body and wing-covers is very rough, and 

 the prothorax bears two prominent horns (Fig. 

 711). The larva lives within the fungi referred 

 to above. 



The Pinacate-bugs (Pin-ah-cah'te-bugs). Sev- 

 eral species of Elcodes (El-e-o'des) are abundant 

 on the Pacific coast, where they are found under 

 stones and pieces of wood lying on the ground. 

 They are apt to congregate in large numbers under a single 

 shelter, and are clumsy in their movements. They defend 

 themselves when disturbed by elevating the hinder part of 



