COLEOPTERA : ELATERID/E. 427 



legs. When once upon the back, their legs are so short 

 that they cannot turn themselves like other insects ; but, 

 folding their legs close to the body, and bending back 

 the head and thorax, and thus unsheathing the spine, 

 they straighten the body suddenly, the point of the spine 

 strikes forcibly upon the edge of the sheath, and, acting 

 like a spring, throws the insect upwards. In the adult 

 state they feed mainly upon flowers. The larvae devour 

 wood and roots, and are called wire-worms. Elatcr is 

 the principal genus. 



LAMPYRID.-E, Leach, OR FIRE-FLY FAMILY.- -This Fam- 

 ily comprises beetles which resemble the Elaters, but are 

 shorter, broader, and softer. In some species the females 

 are wingless, and in others furnished with only short ely- 

 tra. Some are carnivorous, preying in the larva state 

 upon snails. Many of the species are phosphorescent, 

 the luminous matter occupying the under side of a few 

 of the terminal rings ; and it appears that the insect can 

 vary the intensity of the light. 



MALACHID.E, Rcdt. - - This Family contains small bee- 

 tles which have the body furnished with extensible vesicles. 



CLERID^E, Kirby. This Family comprises beetles 

 which are long, often cylindrical, with the thorax nar- 

 rower than the elytra, and head prominent. They are 

 fast runners, handsomely variegated in their colors, and 

 feed upon juices of flowers. The larvae are carnivorous. 



The Genus Clems has the elytra of a bright red color, 

 ornamented with purple. The larvae are destructive to 

 bees and wasps, in the nests of which the female de- 

 posits her eggs. 



LYMEXILLID.E, Leach. This small Family embraces 

 beetles which have the body long, nearly cylindrical, softer 

 than the Elaters, head broad before, narrowed behind, and 

 not sunk into the thorax. The grubs penetrate timber. 

 One species has been very destructive to ship-timber in 

 the North of Europe. 



