110 NATURAL HISTOEY OF 



filled with Staphylinidcz, Sph&ridiidcB, and other 

 minute beetles, which flit about in the sunshine with 

 an ease and velocity which sufficiently indicate the 

 perfect aptitude of their structure for such an exer- 

 cise. 



In beetles, as well as in all other insects properly 

 so called, there are six legs, each of which may be 

 considered as composed of four principal pieces, 

 viz. the coxa or haunch a, the thigh &, the tibia 

 or shank c, and the tarsus or foot d, as represented 

 in the following figure. 



The coxa may be regarded as 

 the joint which connects the leg 

 with the thorax. It is frequent- 

 ly furnished with an appendage 

 called the trochanter. The thigh 

 is the largest and most conspi- 

 cuous portion of the leg ; it is 

 usually somewhat flattened, and 

 frequently spined or serrated on 

 the edges. In the jumping beetles (Halticce), and 

 some other species (as in Sagra, Plate XXVII.), 

 the hinder thighs are very much thickened. The ti- 

 biae are generally shorter and more slender than the 

 thighs, growing thicker at the lower extremity, and 

 having a tendency to a triangular form. They are 

 frequently beset with stiff bristles, and armed more 

 or less with spines or spurs. The tarsus is the ter- 

 minal portion of the foot, and consists of small joints 

 varying in number from five to three. The shape of 



