466 
CLASS VIII. 
Simple eyes are not present in the generality of these insects; they 
occur however in some; two are met with in many small Lrachelytra, 
species of Anthophagus and Omaliwm (see Kuve, cited above, 
p. 280), and in Paussus bucephalus ; and according to CuRTIS one is 
found in the middle of the head in some Dermestide (WESTWOOD, 
Introd. to Mod. Classif: Vol. 1 p. 35). The antenne have a very 
different form and length, but consist commonly of eleven joints. 
The anterior thoracic segment is large and moveable ; the middle and 
last segments of the thorax are entirely covered above by the shield- 
covers. The under wings are absent in some species, which natu- 
rally also in that case are not able to fly, since the shield-covers are 
not used for flight; these last are never wanting, but are sometimes 
very short. The integuments of the body are commonly hard, but 
less so on the dorsal surface, inasmuch as it is covered by the elytra. 
These insects undergo a perfect metamorphosis. The larva resem- 
bles a worm, and commonly has six horny feet’. Some larve (Cur- 
culio, Cerambyx) have no feet, but membranous tubercles in their 
stead. 
Of the diffusion of this order an idea may be formed when we 
reflect that, according to LATREILLE, more than fifteen years ago 
about 30,000 species of beetles were known’, and, according to 
Westwoop, in 1839, 28,000 were found in the British Museum 
alone. And how many species have there not been since then, and 
are there not almost daily discovered! 
The number of joints in the tarsus was first made use of by 
Grorrroy for the division of this order (Hist. abrégée des Insectes, 1. 
pp. 50, 51), who was followed by Outvier (ne. method., Hist. n. d. 
Ins. Tom. v. 1791, p. 107), Larreitiz, DumEri, and nearly all 
modern writers; a character, of which some have exaggerated the 
value (see ex. gr. InLiGER in his Magazin. f: Insektenkunde, 1. 1802, 
s. 285), but which has some exceptions*®, and moreover cannot 
always be strictly applied, if we would not violate natural affinity *. 
The normal number of the joints of the tarsus is in this order, as in 
most hexapod insects, five, and therefore by far the most of the 
1 Comp. DE Haan, Mémoires sur les métamorphoses des Coleoptéres. Nouvelles 
Annales du Muséwm, Iv. 1835, pp. 125—164, Pl. to—19. 
2 Revue Entom. par SILBERMANN, I. 1833, p. 52. 
3 PH. W. J. Muiinr, Bemerkungeniib. die Fussgliederzahl einiger Kafergattungen, 
in InLicER’s Magaz. f. Ins. tv. 1805, s. 197—219. 
4 T communicated some remarks on this subject in OkmN’S Jsts, 1824. 8. 222, 223. 
