COLEOPTERA. 



139 



time. The Coleoptera are divided into four large sec- 

 tions, characterised b}'' the number of joints in the tarsi, 

 although the character is liable to man}^ exceptions. 

 The largest section contains such beetles as have five 

 joints in the tarsi ; these form the Pentamera. In the 

 second group, the Heteromera, most of the insects have 

 five joints in the tarsi of the two first pair of legs, and 

 four joints in the tarsi of the hinder pair. In the 

 Tetramera the tarsi are usually four-jointed ; in the 

 Trimera three-jointed. 



The Pentamerous-beetles are divided into four sub- 

 sections : the Adephaga 

 (Ravenous beetles), Ehy- 

 pojjJiaga (Filtli - eaters), 

 Cordijlocerata (Club- 

 horns), and the Prioce- 

 rata (Saw-horns). The 

 Ravenous-beetles live 

 some on the land, others 

 on the water ; of the 

 land ravenous-beetles the 

 Tiger - beetle {Cklndela 

 caiiipestrls) may be taken 

 as a sample. It is an ex- 

 tremely active insect of bright green colour, with crimson 

 and gold, and several cream-coloured spots on the wing- 

 cases or elytra -%QQ Plate VI., Fig. 1. It frequents dry 

 sandy banks, and is fond of the sunshine. The Tiger- 

 beetle has the character of being extremely ferocious ; in 

 captivity these insects will '' fight savagely, rearing up 

 against one another like dogs, decapitating their adver- 

 saries by single strokes of the jaws." The female has been 



WATER-BfETLK (Dylicus). 



