184 MODERN CLASSIFICATION OF INSECTS. 



The second division of the Chilognathomorpha corresponds with 

 the Lamellicornes of Latreille, or the Linnaean genera Lucanus and 

 Scarab£ELis, which are distinguished by having the antenna?, which are 

 generally short, and 9 or 10-jointed, terminated by a large club, com- 

 posed of several (generally three) of the apical joints, which are formed 

 into elongated plates, which open like the leaves of a book, or of which 

 the basal joint of the club is hollowed, so as to form a kind of cup, 

 receiving the subsequent joints ; in others, the terminal joints form a 

 kind of comb. The legs are robust, the anterior tibiae being gene- 

 rally dilated and toothed. The males are often distinguished by the 

 singular horns with which the head and thorax are armed, or by the 

 great size of the mandibles. This tribe of insects comprises the most 

 bulky and gigantic of the beetle tribes ; and hence, as well as from 

 the great number of species, and the consequently important labours 

 which they must perform in the creation, they have been selected by 

 Linnaeus and Fabricius as fit to be placed at the head of the present 

 order. The majority of these insects, and especially the gigantic 

 species, are inhabitants of tropical climates, comparatively few inha- 

 biting our own country, although the Stag-beetle, Cockchafer, Rose- 

 chafer, and the shardborne Beetle are amongst the largest, most 

 interesting, or beautiful species of Coleoptera found in England, The 

 larvae are large fleshy grubs, having the extremity of the body curved 

 towards the breast, so as not to enable the insect to creep upon a flat 

 surface, but compelling it to lie on its side ; the legs (six in number) 

 are weak, the jaws strong, and the antennae 4-jointed. These insects, 

 in their larvae and perfect states, are herbivorous, their habits, how- 

 ever, varying in the different ftimilies, according to their several struc- 

 tures. 



The two Linnaean genera above named, Lucanus and Scarabaeus, 

 constitute the two primary groups into which the Lamellicornes 

 are divisible, and to which Dumeril gave the sectional names*, 

 Priocera (Lucanus), club of antennae serrated, 

 Petalocera (Scarabaeus), club of antennae lamellated. 



* I should much prefer (notwithstanding the necessity for subdivision), in ac- 

 cordance with Mr. Kirby's plan, to retain for tliese two groups the Linnaean names, 

 with the ordinary family termination in ida. 



