COLEOPTERA. 



263 



of joints in the tarsi has been considered a character of 

 primary importance, and divisional names, founded on this 

 chai'acter alone, hav^ become current among Entomologists : 

 thus beetles having five joints in all their tarsi are called 

 Pentamera ; those having five in the anterior and middle, 

 and four in the posterior tarsi, are called Heteromera ; 

 those with four in all the tarsi, Tetramera ; and those with 

 only three, Trimera. 



