Coleoptera 207 



developed exhibit a subcostal (mediastinal) nervure 

 with which the radial (or scapular) nervures are 

 largely confluent, several curved median and cubital 

 nervures, and an anal ; cross nervules and cells are 

 few. The nervures are interrupted in their course to 

 allow the transverse folding of the wing, which can 

 be doubled up beneath the elytron. The hind-body 

 may show as many as ten tergites, but the hindmost 

 one or two are rarely evident ; the first one or two 

 abdominal sternites are usually reduced owing to the 

 great extension of the metathorax and the haunches 

 of the powerful hind-legs (132, 134). 



Development. — As considerable space was devoted 

 to the life-history of beetles in Chapter II ; it is only 

 necessary to repeat that they undergo complete meta- 

 morphosis, their larva exhibiting all stages of transi- 

 tion from the active campodeiform to the sluggish, 

 legless eruciform grub, and that the pupa is free (137)' 



The Beetles are a numerous and universally dis- 

 tributed order though far less highly organised than 

 the Moths, Flies, or Hymenoptera. Over 100,000 

 kinds have already been described. They are divided 

 into a large number of families ; the leading characters 

 of the more important of these may now be defined 

 (132-136). 



Cicindelidae. — The Cicindelidai or Tiger-beetles are characterised 

 by their large head, in which the face (clypeus) extends laterally 

 in front of the eleven-segmented simple feelers, and the prominent 

 eyes. The legs are long and adapted for fast running : all the feet 

 have five segments. There are eight evident hind-body segments 

 in the male, and seven in the female. The blade of the first maxilla 

 ends in a hinged hook. The Tiger-beetles are very active in habit, 

 pursuing the small insects on which they feed (fig. 114). They are 

 represented in all parts of the world, though far more abundant in 

 the tropics than elsewhere. Their larva; have large heads, long legs, 

 and imperfectly chitinised bodies without cercopods ; they make 

 burrows in sandy places and lurk in these on the watch for prey. 



Carabidae. — The Carabida or Ground-beetles are a very large 

 family nearly allied to the Cicindelids, but distinguished by the 



