ORDER I. BEETLES. 31 



joints, Pentamera; those with four on the hind feet and five 

 on the fore feet, Ileteromera; those with four, Tetramera ; 

 with three, Trimera ; and those with two joints, Dimera. 



This division, although as convenient as the artificial 

 classification of Plants by Linnaeus, according to the num- 

 ber of stamens, is still subject to the same incongruities. 

 Both in the system of Latreille and in that of Linnasus, we 

 find arranged in one and the same class individuals which 

 do not and can not coincide with each other, neither in 

 their external form nor in their nature. Thus, in the Lin- 

 nrcan system, the Crocus and Wheat occur in the same 

 class, Triandria, simply because each of these plants has 

 three stamens ; but what an immense difference is there be- 

 tween them in their properties, and even in their external 

 forms! Many others occur in the same class which are 

 equally incongruous. So also in the artificial system of 

 Latreille. The Tiger Beetles and the May Beetles belong to 

 one and the same family, which he calls Pentamera, because 

 both have five joints on their feet ; but they are very unlike 

 each other in their forms and in their natural disposition ; 

 the one is carnivorous, the other herbivorous; the one is 

 useful, the other injurious to vegetation. For these reasons 

 we prefer our natural classification according to their food, 

 and hence according to their natural disposition. Of the 

 first family, the Carnivorous Beetles, we have already spok- 

 en, and we proceed to the second family. 



Scavenger Beetles. 



The body of most all of the Scavenger Beetles is very 

 hard, and their feet very strong, adapted for digging. They 

 deposit their eggs in manure, or rotten wood, or carrion, or 

 in the ground, and in some instances the grubs (larvce) 

 proceeding from these eggs live several years in these sub- 

 stances before they are metamorphosed into perfect beetles, 

 as in the case with the Stag Beetle. 



