1915] Lovell — Origin of Anthophihj among the Coleoptera 73 



search for plant-lice and insect larva? on vegetation, and often visit 

 densely clustered inflorescences with visible nectar, as Cornus, 

 Viburnum, Spiraea salicifolia, Pyrus arbidifolia, Priinns virginiana 

 and Achillea Millefolium. The anthophilous tendency is more 

 strongly marked in Telephorus, which, although still remaining 

 partly predaceous, includes nine species taken on flowers. 



Special interest attaches to Chauliognathus, one of the few genera 

 of the Coleoptera, which have become modified in structure as a 

 result of anthophily. The mature beetles live wholly on a floral 

 diet, but the larvse still retain the carnivorous habit. The species 

 are diurnal, the head is long and prominent instead of being 

 retracted under the thorax as is common in this family, and the 

 maxillae are extensile with the outer lobes prolonged into an oblong 

 pointed process. The modified maxillae are able to suck nectar 

 in flowers where it is concealed at a depth of one or two millimeters. 

 C. pennsylvanicus is very common on the Compositae, especiilly 

 on the flowers of Solidago; while C. marginatus, occurs in Indiana, 

 according to Blatchley, by thousands on the flowers of the linden, 

 Jersey tea, and wild hydrangea, and in Virginia, according to 

 Banks, is very abundant on Ceanothus. AU of the anthophilous 

 species of the Lampyridse feed on pollen as well as nectar. 



The Cleridse live chiefly on insect larvae found on vegetation, 

 and are predaceous in both the larval and adult stages. It is a 

 misnomer to call these handsome beetles flower beetles since only 

 nine species have been observed on flowers, of which four belong 

 to the genus Trichodes ; many species are rare and little is know^n of 

 their habits. Trichodes restricts itself wholly to a floral diet.^ 



The series of carnivorous families may be closed with the Mala- 

 chiidae, all the species of which are stated incorrectly by Knuth to 

 live solely on flower food when they are adult. The family is of 

 small extent and is sometimes incorporated with the Lampyridae 

 to which it is closely allied. The larvae are carnivorous, and most 

 of the genera in the mature stage may be found on foliage hunting 

 for plant-lice and insect eggs; but Attalus, Collops and Malachius 

 and probably many other genera frequently visit flowers for pollen 

 and nectar. Four genera and five species are listed for New Eng- 

 land. Very little is known about the habits of the majority of 

 these small beetles. 



1 MuUer, "The Fertilization of Flowers," p. 33. 



