282 MODERN CLASSIFICATION OF INSECTS. 



Fig. 32. 





r®iife.B liffi^^^f 



the genus Meloe, which is the only example of this stirps cited by 

 that author, being still involved in so much obscurity. 



The majority of these insects feed upon vegetable matter ; many 

 are found in flowers, and these are generally gaily coloured ; others, 

 however, frequent dark and damp places, and their colours are 

 uniformly black ; whilst some inhabit the sandy deserts of tropical 

 regions, and their colours are generally grey or dirty brown. 



This division comprises several extensive groups, whose inves- 

 tigation has been but little attended to ; and whose classification, 

 especially with reference to their affinities with other tribes, is 

 attended with great difficulty. Some of the species, composing the 

 subdivision Trachelia, seem in their habits and general appearance 

 to resemble the Telephori, Dasy tes, &c. ; indeed^ Lamarck, by placing 

 these groups in juxta position, evidently considered this relationship 

 as an important one. The Tenebrionidae apparently exhibit an 

 affinity with the Trogositidge ; indeed Trogosita Calcar, Fab. is the 

 type of Dejean's Heteromerous genus Calcar nearly allied to Te- 

 nebrio ; whilst Hypophlaeus, and some other subcortical Heteromera, 

 equally approach some of the Necrophagous genera, such as Cerylon, 

 &c. The larvae of the Tenebrionidae or meal worms, and the Helopidae 

 and Cistelidae, seem, however, in their cylindrical and corneous struc- 

 ture, and occasionally denticulated extremity of the body, to approach 

 most nearly to those of the Elateridae, (although the larvee of the 

 latter family differ very materially in the structure of the mouth, 

 from those of the Helopidae, &c.) ; whilst the GEdemeridae seem 

 equally allied to certain Pseudotetramera, such as Necydalis and 

 Leptura, and the Mycteridae or Salpingidee to the Rhyncophora ; 

 indeed Latreille does not hesitate to place Salpingus amongst the 



