STAG-BEETLES. 



77 



LamelUcornes. Antemise not elbowed, the club composed of moveable 

 plates. Mandibles of the males not remarkably developed. Nervous 

 ganglia consolidated in the thorax. Larvte with transverse wrinkles 

 upon the segments. Anal opening crosswise, except in the sub-family 

 of Passalides. 



We have the more readily adopted this separate classification of these 

 insects as it enables us to discard the discordant element of Lucanidte 

 from the otherwise comparatively homogeneous group of lamellicorn 

 beetles, with neither of the two great tribes of which can they be made 

 to harmonize. 



Family XXV. LUCANID^E. 



[Fig. 31. J 



LucANAS DAJIA, Fabr. : — larvrp and cocoon-aftor Pack' 



The characters of this family have 

 been given above sufficiently for their 

 LiiCANus DAMA, Fate. :-after Packard. recognition. Notwithstanding their 

 conspicuous size, but little is known of the habits of the perfect insects. 

 The few observations on record go to show that their ordinary food cou- 

 sists of honey dew, or the exudations of the leaves and bark of trees, 

 which last they are said to pierce with their pincer-like mandibles, but the 

 force with which these organs are brouglit together does not seem to be 

 sufficient for this purpose. Tbey have been known to feed readily, in con- 

 finement, upon moistened sugar. Thelarvre are found in rotton wood, and 

 some of them have been known to bore into the solid roots of trees. But 

 in this country they have never been known to be seriously injurious. 

 A. Ligula elongated and attached to the anterior face of the mentum; autenufe 

 nsually elbowed ; first joint nearly or quite as long as all the others united ; 

 abdomen moderately pedunculated ; scutellum normal and distinct. 

 B. Body moderately convex ; head unarmed, and in the males nearly or quite as 

 wide as the thorax ; club of antennae 4-jointed with the first joint small. 

 C. Antennae geniculate or elbowed ; anterior coxae approximate. 

 D. Mandibles pointed ; eyes notched by the margin of the head. 

 E. Elytra smooth, slightly curved at the sides; size very large. . .Lucanus. 

 E E. Elytra striate and punctate; sides parallel; size above medium. 



DORCUS . 



D D. Mandibles thickened, obtuse, and many toothed at the end ; eyes scarcely 

 notched ; size medium Platyc.erus . 



