3io8 



THE JOINTED ANIMALS 



olfactory nature; these areas may be spread over nearly the whole of each joint, or 

 confined to one side or the end of the joint, and their position affords one of 

 the most important characteristics used in the classification of the family. The 



family is divided into three principal groups 

 the Julodince, Chalcophorince \ and Buprestincz. 

 The first group is chiefly restricted to Africa 

 and the East Indies. The Chalcophorince are 

 more widely distributed, and include many of 

 the finest species of the family, such as the 

 Euchroma gigantea of South America, and the 

 species of Catoxantha found in the East Indies. 

 Chalcophora mariana figured on p. 3109 oc- 

 curs in many pine forests of the Continent, and 

 is one of the largest European species. The 

 Buprestince are more numerous than the other 

 two groups, and are found in all parts of the 

 world. 



The click beetles are, as a rule, narrower and 

 more elongated than the Buprestidce , and differ 

 also in having the posterior angles of the pro- 

 notum sharply produced behind, and the pros- 

 ternal process laterally compressed and slightly 

 curved, with its point resting in a deep cavity 

 in the mesosternum. Their antennae consist- 

 ing of eleven, or rarely twelve, joints are 

 usually serrate, though in many cases, especially 

 in the males, they are either pectinate or flabel- 

 late. These beetles owe their name of skip- 

 jacks to the power they have, when fallen on 

 the back, of springing into the air and alighting on their legs again. The larvae of 

 some species eat into soft succulent roots and tubers, and in this way prove destruc- 

 tive to many of our cultivated plants. These pests 

 are well known to farmers under the name of 

 wireworms. The larva of Agriotes lineatus is one 

 of the worst, being destructive not only in the 

 fields but also in the kitchen garden. It is of a 

 pale yellowish-brown color, differing little in gen- 

 eral appearance from the larvae of other species, 

 and lives for probably four or five years, passing 

 then into a pupa, which remains concealed in the 

 ground for a few weeks before changing into the 

 perfect insect. Among the exotic members of this 

 family, the most remarkable are the fireflies, found 



in the West Indies and America. There are several species of these beetles, all 

 belonging to the genus Pyrophorns, one of which, P. noctilucus, is illustrated on 



SUMMER CHAFER. 

 (Natural size.) 



RHINOCEROS BEETLE, male. 

 (Natural size.) 



