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CHAPTER XIV. 



THE STEKNOXI, OR "SKIPJACKS" AND THEIR ALLIES. 



THIS Section, called also " Serricornes" is divided into 

 three families, the Buprestidce, Eucnemida, and Ela- 

 teridae ; in which the tarsi have five, and the antennae 

 eleven (except in certain of the latter, where there are 

 twelve) joints ; and the prosternum is elongated into 

 a projection behind, fitting into a cavity between the 

 middle legs. 



In the two first families the prothorax fits tightly 

 against the base of the elytra, and there is no power of 

 jumping when the insect is placed on its back : whilst 

 in the last the prothorax is not applied closely to the 

 mesothorax, but loosely articulated, and there is nearly 

 always great saltatorial power. 



They are all wood or vegetable feeders, with serrated, 

 flabellated, or filiform antennae ; mostly elongate and 

 cylindrical, or a little depressed ; metallic in colour, and 

 of hard integuments. They have no paraglossae to the 

 ligula ; their posterior coxae are immoveable, and trans- 

 verse, receiving in repose the upper part of the hinder 

 femora for their whole length ; the anterior coxae are 

 globose ; the tibiae have no rows of spines ; the penulti- 

 mate joint of the tarsi is often bilobed ; and the abdo- 

 men is five-jointed. 



