250 INSECTS. COLEOPTERA. 



The insects of this family are carnivorous, and feed chiefly on living prey. Their 

 jaws terminate in a hooked or scaly portion, ciliated or spinous anteriorly. The two 

 anterior feet are inserted on the sides of a compressed sternum, and the two posterior 

 ones have at their origin a strong trochanter. They have, according to Cuvier, first 

 a short and fleshy stomach, and a second elongated one, with the appearance as if 

 hairy, from the number of vessels with which it is furnished. The intestine is short 

 and slender. The hepatic vessels, four in number, are inserted near the pylorus. 

 The elytra are almost always closed, and cover the abdomen entirely or nearly so. 

 Many have no wings. The larvee are also carnivorous, and have in general a cylin- 

 drical elongated body, composed of twelve segments. The head, not included in this 

 number, is large, scaly, and armed with strong mandibles, with two short antennas, 

 two jaws, and six ocelli on each side. The first segment is covered by a scaly plate. 

 But the larvas differ considerably among themselves, according to the genera. The 

 insects of this family are divided into Terrestrial and Aquatic. 



1. TERRESTRIAL. 



The insects of this division have feet only proper for walking. Their mandibles 

 are entirely discovered. The jaws are only bent or hooked at the extremity, and not 

 at the insertion of the palpi. Their body is generally oblong, and the intestine is 

 terminated by a broad cloaca, furnished with two small sacs, which secrete an acrid 

 humour. 



TRIBE I. CICINDELET-E. 



Mandibles strong and much dentated ; labium very small and 

 concealed by the chin ; labial palpi with four distinct joints ; 

 jaws unguiculated or terminated by a spine or point articulated 

 on their upper extremity ; eyes projecting ; tarsi long and 

 slender. 



I. Body neither narrow nor elongated ; thorax or prothorax almost cordiform, trun- 

 cated posteriorly. 



<Jen. MANTICORA, MEGACEPHALA, CICINDELA, THERATES. 



II. Body narrow and elongated ; thorax in the form of an oblong spheroid. 



Gen. CTENOSTOMA, TRICONDYLUS. 



III. Body narrow and elongated ; thorax conico-cylindrical. 

 Gen. COLLIURIS. 



Gen. CICINDELA, Lin. Lat. 



Abdomen oblong or oval, rounded posteriorly ; two very distinct 

 palpi on each jaw ; exterior palpi as long or longer than the 

 labial ones ; antennae filiform ; palpi hairy ; wings and tarsi 

 slender and elongated. 



The insects of this genus are very agile, run quickly, and fly easily. They live on 

 various insects, upon which they make continual war. Their colours are brilliant, 

 and often of a metallic lustre. They frequent dry places exposed to the sun. The 

 larvze of the indigenous species dig a cylindrical hole in the ground many inches 

 in depth. 



C. campestris, Lin. About six lines long, of a bright grass-green 

 above, with five white spots on each wing-case. Common in Eu- 

 rope in spring. Shaw, vi. pi. 31. 



C. hybrida, Lin. Body above coppery green, with two crescent- 

 shaped spots and a white band on each wing-case ; suture cop- 

 pery. Inhabits woods in Europe Shaw, vi. pi. 31. 



C. sylvatica, Lin. Body bronze-coloured above, with two crescent- 



