Introduction 21 



Now while the Adephaga, with their acquired habit of eating flesh 

 and its accompanying modifications of structure, are plainly derivatives 

 of the primitive beetles that preceded them, it seems as if they might be 

 the first great offshoot and, having preserved more of the primitive 

 characters than the other sub-orders, were entitled to the first place, 

 even though some other beetle may have better preserved one or more 

 different primitive characters. 



Tabular Comparison 



In tabular form, using P for primitive, D for derivative and P D, 

 counted as ^ D, where both primitive and derivative forms occur in 

 the series, the sub-orders and series would stand as follows in respect 

 to each character I have considered above : 



* In these series the broad coxae and prominent trochanters are additional primitive characters. 

 ** Somewhat higher rank than indicated must he assigned on account of nervous system. 



The minor series that have been proposed are introduced under 

 Polyformia, though I am not yet prepared to define or accept them all; 

 the names are for the most part taken from Lameere. The totals 

 show plainly the primitive character of Adephaga, the intermediate 

 character of most of the Polyphaga, with the highly derivative char- 

 acter of the Rhynchophora. They apparently support also Lameere's 

 first thought that Teredilia were very primitive beetles, and Verhoeff's 

 claim for a relatively exalted place for Coccinellidse; but I am un- 

 wilhng to entirely subvert Leconte's sequence of families on such theo- 



