CHAPTER VII. 



ORDER I. COLEOPTERA ( Continued). 



HETEROMERA. 



This division comprehends those insects in which the four anterior tarsi are five-jointed, 

 while the posterior pair are only four-jointed. They are mostly vegetable feeders, some 

 preferring leaves, others flowers, and others farinaceous matters. There is great diversity 

 in their color and habitat : some are beautifully ornamented, others dark and gloomy : 

 some prefer the light of day, and are found upon the wing sporting in the beams of the 

 sun ; others inhabit dark and gloomy places, retiring from day, and abiding in obscure 

 and unfrequented situations. In these respects, however, we find elsewhere similar ar- 

 rangements and diversities. 



The Heteromera are subdivided by Westwood into two sections or tribes, the first of 

 which he calls Trachelia. The head in this tribe is considerably dilated behind the eyes, 

 and then narrowed again, so that the thorax does not equal the broadest part of the head. 

 The body of the insect is also of a soft consistence, and the elytra are flexible, and folded 

 or overlapped on their inner margin. The Cantharis is an example of this subdivision, as 

 to the character of the elytra and the softness of body and gay color of the insect. 



The other great tribe or subdivision is the Atrachelia. In this tribe the thorax has the 

 width of the head, the posterior part of which is often concealed by the thorax. The habits 

 of the insects also serve to distinguish them from the first subdivision : they appear in 

 dull colors, rarely fly by day, and se«k concealment in darkness. Among the Atrachelia 

 we find the Genera Blaps and Tenebrio. 



The Trachelia comprise the Notoxidae, Pyrochroidse, Lagriidse, Horiidse, Mordellidse, 

 Cantharidae, Salpingidse, (Edemeridae, and Melandryidae ; in all nine families. 



The Atrachelia embrace only six families, namely, the Cistelidse, Helopidse, Tene- 

 brionidse, Diaperidae, Blapsidse and Pimeliidse. 



