2 BEETLES. 



neath the horny wing-covers. To enable the heetle to fold such 

 large organs beneath the very much smaller elytra they are not 

 only folded lengthwise like a fan, but also crosswise, which is 

 made possible by a sort of hinge or joint beyond their middle. The 

 structure of both elytra and true wings can be best studied by 



Fig. 1. — Upper surface of Necrophorus americanus: a, mandible; b, maxillary 

 palpus; c, labrum; d, clypeus; e. antenna'; f, front; g, vertex; h, occiput; /' n<ck; 

 k, eye; /, pronotum (visually callt-d prothor.-ix); m, tlytron; n, hind wing; 

 o, scutellum of meso-thorax; p, tnetanotum (or dorsal surface of meta thorax); 

 q, femur or thigh; r, r. r, ttrgites of the abdomen; s, s-\ S 8 , spiracles or stigmata; 

 t, t', t", tibia?, r, tibial spurs; \v, tarsi. Alter Leconte. 



dissecting some common large beetle. Fig. t shows both an 

 elytron (m), and a true wing (n) ; Fig. 3 shows the same organs 

 in a Tigerd)eetle (Cicindela). 



There are a number of beetles that do not fly, and, accord- 

 ing to the natural law that organs not used become in time 

 rudimentary, the lower or true wings have dwindled to almost 



