206 Prof. J. C. Schiddte on the Classification 
ated in the abdominal cavity, and can be pushed out behind 
the dorsal shield of the penultimate segment. When they are 
retracted in their natural position, numerous ducts, proceeding 
from the glandular cells (which are accumulated so as to form 
acini), are seen to open at their bottom. They are furnished 
with striped muscular fibres, fixed to the bottom and on one 
side, and when they are protruded, the greater part of the cel- 
lular tissue and muscular fibres follow the walls of the bags, 
and are consequently then situated inside the bags, which are 
turned outside in. 
With regard to the nervous system, I have to observe that 
the ventral chords are not separated beyond the ganglion meta- 
thoracicum ; but for the rest they are closely united, sometimes 
enclosed in one and the same neurilemma. There are eight 
abdominal ganglia, of which the first two are situated in the 
metathorax, the foremost of them close to the metathoracical 
ganglion; the seventh and eighth ganglia (the sexual ganglia) 
are as usual closely united. The nervous stems for the organs 
of respiration proceed as usual from particular small ganglia in 
front of the abdominal ganglia connected with the ventral cords. 
If, now, we institute a comparison between the inner structure 
of Buprestidee and that of Elateridi, the essential results will 
be the following :— 
BUPRESTID. 
The trachee furnished with 
numerous vesicles. 
Salivary glands very much ra- 
mified. 
The digestive tube long, two 
or three times the length of the 
animal. 
(Esophagus long, the craw 
large, situated in the hind part 
of the prothorax, in the meso- 
thorax, or even in the metathorax. 
(Hsophagus with large lateral 
dilatations in those species which 
feed on flowers. 
The stomach long, with two 
horns on its anterior extremity, 
spirally wound behind, very glan- 
dulous. 
The intestine bent at an angle, 
with strongly developed glandu- 
lous colon. 
ELATERIDA. 
The ¢trachee without vesicles. 
No salivary glands. 
The digestive tube short, very 
little longer than the animal. 
Gsophagus very short, the 
craw small, situated in the fore 
part of the prothorax. 
(Esophagus simple, even in 
species feeding on flowers. 
The stomach. short, almost 
straight, without horns, very few 
glands. 
The zntestine straight; the 
colon not at all distinct, or, rather, 
indistinctly marked; few glands. 
