﻿THE LAMELLTCORNES, OR " CHAFERS/^ 111 



Internally, they appear to be distinguished by the 

 peculiar disposition of their central nervous system; 

 which, as far as has been yet observed, consists of a 

 large ganglion (or depot) situated in the thorax, without 

 any trace of abdominal ganglia; the Lucanidce, how- 

 ever, possess these latter, as well as, and distinct from, 

 the thoracic mass. 



They exhibit, also, a difference in their respiratory 

 organs from the other Coleoptera, in the possession of a 

 multitude of vascular tracheae annexed to the main 

 canals of the ordinary tracheal tubes. It is (as M. 

 Lacordaire remarks) doubtless owing to these reserves 

 of air that these insects, in spite of their heavy build, 

 take so easily to the wing. 



Their larvse, — which are found in dung, at the roots of 

 plants, in decaying vegetable matter, or rotten mould in 

 old trees, — are fleshy, cylindrical, recurved behind in an 

 arch, with the last segment much enlarged ; so that, 

 except when very young, they cannot extend themselves 

 into a straight line, but lie on their sides. They are 

 usually yellowish or bluish-white, with a transparent 

 skin, through which the dark intestinal canal can often 

 be seen, especially at the apex; and the segments ex- 

 hibit very evident transverse folds, and have the anal 

 orifice also transverse, except in the Lucanidce, wherein 

 these folds are almost entirely absent, and the orifice is 

 longitudinal. 



Their head is brownish or yellow, horny, rounded, 

 with the forehead directed forwards, and the mouth on 

 the lower surface ; the mandibles are robust and arched ; 

 the antennae five-jointed ; and the eyes entirely wanting, 

 except in the instance of Trichius fasciatus, which (ac- 

 cording to the observations of M. Ferris, a distinguished 



