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CHAPTER XV. 



THE MALACODERMI. 



This section, as here employed, is of an essentially arti- 

 ficial nature, comprising insects of very varied appear- 

 ance and structure, which may be considered as divided 

 into fifteen families : — the Aiopidce, Cijphonida, Eubri- 

 ad<E, Lycidce, Lampyridce, Drilidce, Telephoridcs, Mely- 

 rid(S, Byturida, Cleridte, Lymexylonidce, Ptinida, Bos- 

 trichida, Lyctidte, and Cioidee. Of these, the first eight 

 only (and perhaps not all of them) can be considered as 

 strictly Malacodermi, wherein the integuments of the 

 body are not horny, but soft and flexible, and usually 

 clothed with short pubescence ; the antennae long, fili- 

 form or serrate, with generally eleven joints, though 

 sometimes this number varies to ten or twelve (the latter 

 occurring in certain exotic LampyrldcE) ; the parts of 

 the mouth nearly membraneous, the mentum being often 

 indistinct, and the ligula with no paraglossse ; the front 

 cox8e conic, exserted, and sometimes almost cylindrical, 

 and the hinder pair transverse, often approximated, and 

 reaching to the edge of the elytra ; the tibiae seldom 

 spurred at the apex ; the tarsi five-jointed, though with 

 only four joints to those of the front legs in tne males 

 of certain species; the abdomen composed of six or 



