COLEOPTERA. — CAUABIDiE, 71 



appear at the end of the summer in the perfect state, generally 

 couple in the autumn, whilst in others this does not t^ke place until 

 the following spring. The eggs do not arrive at maturity until seve- 

 ral days after coupling ; they are deposited under stones, or at a small 

 depth under ground. The larvae soon appear ; they change their skin 

 once, and attain, previous to becoming pupge, twice the length of the 

 imago: the larvae have the same general form of those of the Zabri 

 and Poccilli, and are so much alike that it is not possible to distin- 

 guish the species. They remain about six or eight weeks as larva;, 

 and half that time as pupa? ; the perfect insects are able to live a 

 much longer time, especially if coupling is delayed, immediately after 

 which they die. 



Latreille is the first author who directed the attention of ento- 

 mologists to the distribution of the numerous groups composing this 

 family. So far indeed from abandoning the hope of effecting a natural 

 arrangement (as asserted by Mr. MacLeay), he has proposed a classi- 

 fication of them <' fondee sur des rapports naturels" in the Coleoptcres 

 d'Europe which appears to me to be the most natural of any given, 

 and which I propose to adopt in the following pages. He considers 

 that the first group having truncated elytra, and noted for their ex- 

 plosive powers (BrachinidiB MacLeay^ Truncatipennes, Latr.) is con- 

 nected on the one side with the Cicindelidse by means of Anthia and 

 some other genera; and on the other, to the second group dis- 

 tinguished for its fossorial habits, having the elytra separated from 

 the thorax by a wide incision (Scaritidae MacL., Bipartiti Latr.) by 

 means of Enceladus and Siagona. From this second group he pro- 

 ceeds by Aristus and Acinopus to Zabrus, Cephalotes, &c. in the 

 third group composed of the Harpaliens and Feroniens (Harpalida^ 

 MacL., Thoracici Latr.) distinguished by their great quickness in 

 running; whence by means of Licinus, Panagaeus, &c. we approach 

 the fourth group, having the inner surface of the anterior tibiae not 

 notched, and which emit an extremely acrid fluid (Carabidae MacL. 

 Abdominales, Latr.), from which by Nebria, Elaphrus, &c., we arrive 

 at the fifth group, composed of the genus Bembidium, having the last 

 joint of the maxillary palpi minute and acute (Bembidiidac Stephens, 

 Subulipalpes Latr.), which approach the Water-beetles in their sub- 

 aquatic habit : the genus Haliplus, amongst the latter, closely re- 

 sembling Bembidium in the curious structure of the palpi. 



Other instances in support of Latreille's arrangement may be given ; 



F 4 



