HEXAPODA: COLEOPTERA OR BEETLES. 



321 



FIG. 421. 



of burying all the small dead animals which they find. 

 They dig beneath the animal till they sink it out of sight, 

 then deposit their eggs in it ; and as soon as the young 

 hatch, the latter begin to devour it, and thus the noxious 

 substance is soon converted into living tissues. 



The Rove-Beetles are long and narrow, and the abdo- 

 men is much longer than the elytra. When touched, or 

 when they run, they elevate the abdomen and flex it in 

 every direction. 



The Dermestidse are small beetles which, in the larva 

 state, attack skins and all parts of dried animals. They 

 often commit great havoc in zoological collections. 



The Horn-bugs or Lucanidse 

 are beetles whose head is very 

 large and broad, and whose upper 

 jaws are very large, and often 

 branched. In the grub state they 

 live in the roots and trunks of 

 trees, and some of the species are 

 six years in coming to maturity ! 



Of all the groups of the Coleop- 

 tera, the Scarabseans or Scarabeei- 

 dae are one of the most extensive. 

 Here belong the May -Beetle, 

 Rose-Chafers, Goldsmith Beetles, 

 and a host of others. They differ from one another in 

 many important respects, but agree in having a rather 

 short convex form, the antennas ending in a knob com- 

 posed of three or more leaf-like pieces, a visor-like piece 

 which extends forward over the face, and their legs fitted 

 for digging (Figs. 422-3). 



The Buprestians or Buprestidas are beetles which have 

 the head apparently sunk into the thorax nearly up to 

 14* 



Horn-Bug, Lucanus dama, Fabr. 



