82 



Sub-section IV. This sub-divisioh is limited to those peqtamerous 

 species with pectinate (corab-like) antennae, and contains the simple 

 family Lucanidce or stag-beetles. 



Sub-section V. This contains the species with lamellate anten- 

 nae, that is those which have antennae terminating with a club com- 

 posed of flat pieces or plates which open similar to the leaves in a 

 book. It includes several important families, as now constituted, 

 though formerly the entire sub section was embraced in a single fam- 



ay. 



Tribe 7. The lamellicorn dung-beetles. The families belonging 

 to this tribe are as follows: Copridae, which contains tbe pill-rollers 

 or '"tumble-bugs ;" Ahodiidae, containing small species which reside in 

 similar situations, being found in abundance in fresh manure ; Geotru- 

 pidae, usually of medium size, with habits similar to the species of 

 the preceding family ; Trogidae, the seare from medium to small size, 

 with rough thorax and elytra, the former being pitted and the latter 

 ridged, often of a dull, dirt color ; found about decaying animal mat- 

 ter. 



Tribe 8. The leaf-chafers or leaf-eating lamellicorn beetles. This 

 tribe contains several families, many of the species belonging thereto 

 being injurious in the larva or perfect state, or in both. Dynast idae, 

 to which belongs our largest beetle; Melolanthidae, the May-beetles; 

 injurious to the foliage of trees in the beetle or perfect state. The 

 larvae, which are known as "white-grubs," are injurious to grass 

 roots and the tender roots of other plants; Rutelidae, the vine leaf-chaf- 

 ers ; Cetoniidae, this family contains those splendid beetles known in 

 many places as "June-bugs." 



Sub-section VI. The species of this sub-section are usually fur- 

 nished with serrate antennae, but this character is scarcely apparent 

 in many. 



Tribe 9. The saw-horned wood-beetles. This tribe contains two 

 families too well known on account of the injuries which some of 

 their species inflict on our horticulturalists and agriculturalists. 

 Buprestidae, the buprestians, whose larvae are usually designated as 

 hammer-beaded wood-borers; Elateridae, the jumping-jacks or snap- 

 ping beetles, whose larvae are known as wire-worms. 



Tribe 10. Contains chiefly small species, some of which are injuri- 

 ous by boring into living plants, furniture, tY:c. llinidac, the princi- 

 pal family, includes a number of small wood-borers, also some species 

 which do much injury to museums and natural history collections. 



Tribe 1 1. The soft-winged predaceous beetles, so called because the 

 elytra are flexible and somewhat Leathery. Lampyrzdae includes our 

 well known lire-flies or lightning-bugs; Gleridac contains one species 

 injurious to bacon, and one or two which destroy the larvae of bees. 



The second or Heteromerous section of the order contains a num- 

 ber of families, most of which are predaceous, parasitic, or innoxious ; 

 those which are not predaceous or parasitic, live on decaying vege- 

 table substances, or on fungus or other unimportant vegetation. 

 Omitting the tribe divisions, i shall mention only two families. 



