ARTICÜLATA. 149 



straight line along the doi*suin, lap the one over the other in a few eases ; 

 and in others they are connate, or soldered together into a single piece, 

 there being no wings beneath them. 



The galea of the niaxillse in the OrtJioptera is rarely represented in the 

 ColeopUra^ and when it is, the form is entirely different ; and the wings are 

 neither formed nor folded as in that order. The head, thorax, abdomen, 

 and feet, are distinct, and the prothorax is a conspicuous part, capable of 

 motion, and allowing the head to move upon it. The eyes are generally 

 two in number, and stemmata are extremely rare. In rare cases the eyes 

 are absent. The mouth is composed of a labrum, mandibles, maxillse, and 

 labium, with their appendages. The antennae and parts of the mouth are 

 extremely variable, and afford characters for genera and higher groups. 



The abdomen is attached by its entire base ; beneath it is more or less 

 hard, but above it is membranous, being protected by the elytra. Coleojytera^ 

 with a few exceptions, do not fly with the ease and rapidity of some of the 

 other orders, and they do not take wing so readily, it being necessary first 

 to raise the elytra and extend the wings ; but in the Olcindelidce and some 

 other families, this is done with remarkable quickness. 



The head and prothorax are often ornamented by horn-like projections, 

 sometimes resembling jaws, as in {pi. 81, fig. 148) Scarahceus hercules., 

 in which the upper projection is from the pronotum, and the lower one from 

 the head ; and Oryctes nasicornis {fig. 145) has a horn arising from its 

 head resembling that of a rhinoceros. The sexes are distinguished in 

 various ways in the different groups, as by the antennae in some, and the 

 feet in others. In some genera, as Lucanus {fig. 124), the mandibles are 

 much larger in the male than in the female, and of a different form. This 

 order is oviparous, the male dies soon after pairing, and the female after 

 depositing her eggs. In cases where the male has not paired, it has been 

 preserved alive for a period much beyond that of its ordinary life. 



The Coleoptera have been stndied more than an)- other order of insects, 

 the canses of which may be stated as follows. With the exception of the 

 Lepidoptera., they contain the handsomest species. The Lepldoptera are 

 difficult to take in a perfect condition, and when taken they require more 

 attention in carrying and handling, and in expanding the wings, besides 

 taking up more room in cabinets, and being more likely to be destroyed by 

 moths and other destructive larv». Coleoptera present great variety in 

 their structure ; their exterior hardness renders their preservation a simple 

 matter. It requires but little trouble to collect and bring home a great many 

 at a time, and they can be easily caught and collected when insects which 

 are more upon the wing are not seen. There are more books upon the 

 Coleoptera, which facilitates their study and renders it more easy to dis- 

 cover new species. 



In forming a collection of Coleoptera (and these remarks will,^ in most 

 cases, apply to other orders), various localities must be sought. Many 

 frequent the blossoms and leaves of shrubs and trees, various species are 

 found in rotten wood, dung, carrion {Necrofliorus prefers dead reptiles), 

 beneath stones, logs, bark, or under the earth. Species which live in fungi 



ICONOGRAPHIC ENCYCLOPEDIA. VOL. II. 23 353 



