82 BEETLES. 



divisions are fairly easy to observe ; and I will just 

 point out a very few of these that may be of service 

 before going on to the practical observations. 



Beetles are, or may be, firstly, divided into four 

 sets, according to the number of joints in their feet: — 

 One division has all the feet usually Jive-jointed. 

 This includes six sections, of which those of the carni- 

 vorous Beetles, the Cockchafers and their allies, and 

 the Click Beetles (or Wireworm Beetles) and their 

 allies, concern us the most. This division is named 

 Fentamera. 



The second division has, for the most part, the feet 

 of the two front pairs of legs five-jointed, and the feet of 

 the hind pair four-jointed. This division has only one 

 section, in which various grain and meal Beetles con- 

 cern us most. This division is named Heteroniera. 



The third division has all the feet apparently four- 

 jointed, because the fourth of the five joints is so small 

 it can hardly be seen without a 

 magnifier. This division, Tetra- 

 inera, or Pseudo-tctraniera, in- 

 cludes three sections, all very 

 important to us. They are the 

 Weevils ; the Long-horned Bee- 

 tles, which are often destructive 

 to timber ; and the Turnip Flea 

 -^ X Beetles and their allies. The 

 '^^ « s-.;:;;^:^^-^ ~~~\J illustration shows the leg of one 

 "*""" of the Flea Beetles with its four- 



J'lea 

 Beetle, and f mv-jc 



feet apparently three-jointed, be- 

 cause the third of the four joints is so small it is 

 scarcely visible. This division, Trimera, or Pseudo- 

 trimcra, includes one section, and in it the family of 

 Ladybirds and their allies is most important to us. 



These divisions by number of joints may seem 

 tedious, or trivial points to observe ; nevertheless it 

 is very convenient, when one wishes to know some- 



Fio. 65.— Ho]) J 'lea jointed foot. 



j.^^^ )ia-jom ei T^he fourtJi division has all the 



