116 MODERN CLASSIFICATION OF INSECTS. 



family (which Gyllenhal unites together under the name of Amphibii), 

 proposed by Latreille in the Regne Animal (vol. iv. p. Sl^. note 2.), 

 and founded chiefly upon the structure of the antennae, does not ap- 

 pear so natural as that given in the body of that work ; Heterocerus 

 and Parnus being, in the former, united together, the latter being se- 

 parated from Elmis. Mr. MacLeay considers Potamophilus as leading 

 to Octhebius amongst the Hydrophilidae, and that Georyssus may be 

 of service in effecting a passage between the Hcteroceridae and Sphae- 

 ridiidae. 



The subfamily Par?iides * (or family Parnidae Stejjhens) is distin- 

 guished by the very short antennae {fig-l- 8. antenna of Parnus), of 

 which the third and following joints compose a subcylindric, curved, 

 and subserrated mass ; the body is smooth and woolly, and of an 

 oblong form. 



These insects, like the preceding, inhabit the borders of ponds and 

 ditches ; they are well defended from the action of the water by the 

 woolly kind of covering of their bodies. I have observed them, when 

 thrown upon water in the hot sunshine, make use of their wings in 

 endeavouring to regain the shore, without, however, rising from the 

 surface of the water, but sliding, as it were, along, and stopping occa- 

 sionally to rest, and then closing the wings. Latreille presumes, from 

 the structure of the jaws, that they feed upon animal matter. They 

 burrow in damp loose earth, amongst the roots of aquatic plants ; and 

 we perceive an interesting adaptation of structure exhibited by the 

 front parts of the body, the prosternum being advanced beneath the 

 head, and meeting the upper lip, so as completely to shut in the parts 

 of the mouth, and defend them from injury whilst occupied in burrow- 

 ing. 



* BiBLioGR. References to the Parnides. 



Leach. On the Parnidea, in Zool. Misc. iii. 

 M'dller, in Illiger Mag. d'Entomol. 1806. 

 Ktinze, in Entom. Fragmente (on the G. Potamophilus). 

 MacLeay. Annul. Javan. 

 Klug. Entomol. Brasil. Specimen. 

 Dufour. Sur les Acanthopodes, ut supra. 

 Guerin. Icon. Regne Animal. 



Germar, in Neu Schrift. der Naturf. Gesellsch. zu Halle, 1811. vol. i. (G. Pota- 

 mophilus). 



