THIRD 

 GREAT DIVISION 



OP THE 



ANIMAL KINGDOM 



INSECTA 



(continued.) 



FAMILY VI. 



LAMELLICORNES. 



In our sixth and last family of pentamerous Coleoptera, we find 

 the antennas inserted into a deep fossula under the lateral margin 

 of the head ; they are always short, usually consist of nine or ten 

 joints, and are always terminated in a club usually composed of the 

 three last, which are lamellar, sometimes flabelliform or disposed like 

 the leaves of a book, opening and closing in a similar way, sometimes 

 concentrically contorted and fitting in each other, the first or inferior 

 then being semi-infundibuliform and receiving the others, and some- 

 times arranged perpendicular to the axis and forming a sort of comb. 



The body is generally ovoid or oval, and thick. The exterior side 

 of the two anterior tibiae is dentated, and the joints of the tarsi, Avith 

 the exception of those of some males, are entire and without brush 

 or pellet beneath. 



The anterior extremity of the head most commonly projects or is 

 dilated in the manner of an epistoma. The mentum is usually large, 

 covers the ligula or is incorporated with it, and bears the palpi. The 

 mandibles of several are membranous, a character observed in no 

 other coleopterous Insects. The males frequently differ from the 

 females, either by prominences on the thorax or head in the form of 

 horns or tubercles, or by the largeness of their mandibles. 



This family is very numerous, and with respect to the size of the 



VOU IV. B 



