3S THE ORDER OF COLEOPTERA. 



subsist chiefly upou the larvte of other iuseots, and are therefore useful 

 in helping to maintain a proper balance of insect life. As their name 

 implies, they are found mostly on the ground. They run with great ra- 

 pidity, and never attempt to seek safety by feigning death, as is the 

 habit with many of the leaf and fruit-eating beetles. 



The tribe contains two families, distinguished as follows : 

 A. Head large and vertical, wider than the thorax ;* antennae inserted 

 on the front ; eyes large and ijrominent ; mandibles strongly 

 toothed ; wing covers usually marked with yellow : 



CICINDELIDyE. 



A A. Head horizontal or a little inclined, usually narrower than the 

 thorax; antennfe inserted under the sides of the front; eyes 

 moderate; mandibles simple or slightly toothed; color usually 

 black; sometimes blue, green or brown; very rarely spotted: 



GARAJ3IDJE. 



Family I. CICINDELID^E, (Tiger-beetles.) 



The CicindelidjTR are readily distinguished from all other pentaraerous 

 beetles, by their large vertical heads ; that is, their heads are so set 

 rrig.o.] upon the thorax that when viewed from above, oidy 



the vertex or crown is distinctly seen, the face looking 

 directly forwards. In a few large species which vary 

 from the family type the head is not quite vertical, but 

 yet strongly inclined downwards. 



The common English name of Tiger-beetles express- 

 es very well the character of these insects, and they 

 may be said to represent in the insect tribes the tiger 



Ck'Indela :— 1, beetle; 



2, larva— from Tack- auiougst quadrupcds, and the hawk and eagle amongst 

 ard's Guide. birds. They are the most highly organized and per- 



fect of all coleopterous insects, and run and tly with equal facility. They 

 are often seen running in hot dusty roads. NVhen pursued they fly 

 quickly, but usually alight again a rod or two in advance. About sev- 

 enty species have been described as inhabiting the United States, in- 

 cluding those found on the Pacific side of the continent. 



* That part of the body of a beetle which, when viewed from .ibove, lies between the head and the 

 base of the elytra, commonly calliMl the thorax, is found upon dissection to bo only the antoiior section 

 or pro-thorax, which is here greatly developed; all of the meso-thorax, except the little triaiifrtilar 

 piece called the scutelluni, and tho wliolo of the metathorax, beinj; concealed under the basal portion 

 of tjie elytra. Manj' recent writers have, therefore, adopted for this part tho name of pro-thorax, which 

 ,'ittrus lias the advantajjo of greater anatomical lu-ecision. The term thorax, on the other hand, has tho 

 claim of brevity and of lonji established usage, and this brief explanation will relieve it of any ambi- 

 guity that might otherwise be attached to it. 



