104 THE ORDER OF COLEOPTERA. 



Tribe XI. 



SOFT- WINGED PEEDACEOUS BEETLES. 

 Carnivora mollipennata. Malacodermi, Latreille. 



The insects of this tribe are distinguished from most other Coleoptera, 

 and from all others in the pentamerous section, by their soft bodies and 

 their thin and iiexible elytra. The antenuie are usually more or less 

 serrate; the palpi terminate in a widened triangular or hatchet-shaped 

 joint; the thorax is usually surrounded with a thin projecting margin; 

 and the fouith-joint of the tarsi is more or less bi-lobed. The term 

 Malacodermi, meaning soft-skinned, given to these insects by Latreille, 

 exi^resses their most remarkable character, and is in general scientific 

 use. 



They are exclusively carnivorous in their diet, both in the perfect and 

 the larva state, feeding upon small worms, larvae and snails, and are 

 therefore one of the agencies for checking the excessive multiplication 

 of other insects. 



The larvjB are elongated, flattened, usually a little tapering toward 

 each end, of a tough or leathery texture, and of a brown or black color, 

 and often clothed with short hairs. They are furnished with slender, 

 sharp and projecting mandibles, with which they sieze their prey. They 

 are sometimes found on trees, but usually on the ground or under the 

 bark of dead trees, in search for small wood-eating larvaj. A few are 

 found in ants' nests. 



This tribe comprises the three following families : 



A. Bodjr and wing cases flexible ; thorax almost level, with a thin margin all around. 

 Autennte not enlarged at the tip. 

 B. Anteunse inserted upon the front or upon the base of the rostrum; front 

 without membraneous suture; 4th joint of tarsi more or less bi-lobed; 



palpi clavate Lampyxiid.*;. 



B B. Antenuu! inserted laterally before the eyes ; epistoma separated from the front 

 by a membraneous suture; tarsi entire; palpi usually filiform. Melyrid^. 



A A. Body rather firm; thorax convex, without a sharp margin or with a very nar- 

 row one, low down upon the side ; antennae generally widened at the tip ; 

 palpi clavate CLERiDiE. 



Family XXXIX. LAMPYRID^. 



This family contains the well-known fire-flies, or lightning-beetles, and 

 the family name, from a Greek word meaning to shine, was intended to 

 express this quality. This property is possessed both by the larvte and the 

 perfect insects, but only a small number of species are endowed with it. 

 Their i)rincipal characters have been given in the foregoing table and 

 in the general descrix)tion of the tribe. They are usually medium sized, 



