THEIR CLASSIFICATION AND COLLECTION. 27 



of the legs, and the number and structure of the joints of the tarsi 

 or feet, are among the most important characters cmpk)yed in their 

 classification ; but besides these many other points have to be 

 noticed, such as the outline of the thorax and elytra, the presence 

 or absence of punctation and striation, and of pubescence, and 

 many other minute details. 



Our beetles are divided, according to Mr. Rye, into eleven great 

 sections. 



1 . The Adephaga, or carnivorous beetles, which are again divided 



into two sub-sections ; 

 a. Geodephaga, ground-beetles ; and 

 I. Hydradephaga, the aquatic species. 



2. The Brachelytra, or rove-beetles. 



3. The Necrophaga, or carrion-feeders. 



4. The Lamellicornes, or chafers. 



5. The Sternoxi, or skipjacks and their allies. 



6. The Malacodermi, which have soft integuments. 



7. The Heteromera. 



8. The llhynchophora, or weevils. 



9. The Longicornes. 



10. The Eupoda or Phytophaga ; and 



1 1 . The Pseudo-trimera. 



In most of these sections there are species that are more or less 

 well known and that have English names, and I shall endeavour, by 

 referring to these better-known insects as types, to make the sub- 

 ject clearer and more generally interesting. 



\a. The Geodephaga. 



The predatory ground-beetles are easily recognized by their 

 active habits, and thin legs and antennae. Many are metallic 

 and bright-coloured, especially those that appear in the day-time. 

 Some of these, which belong to two large genera, Pterostichm and 

 Amara, commonly called " sunshiners," may be often seen running 

 rapidly across roads and footpaths in the hottest weather. But the 

 majority of species are dark and dull in colour, and are nocturnal 

 feeders. 



The tiger-beetles {Cicindela), of which we have five species, are 

 exceedingly active and rapacious, running and flying alternately 

 in the hottest sunshine. They are very elegant in form, exqui- 

 sitely coloured, with long metallic legs and prominent eyes. The 

 Cicindelidas form one family of our Geodephaga, and are separated 

 from the other family, the Carabidae, by their maxillae having a 

 small movable hook at the end, while those of the Carubidae are 

 without the hook. The common tiger-beetle (C. Campestris) is 

 found in sandy and gravelly places, and is common in the neigh- 

 bourhood of London. I possess two or three specimens from 

 Harrow Weald Common. 



The Carahi, specimens of the common species of which may 

 often be seen dead upon footpaths, where they have been trodden 



