COLEOPTERA. 



FAMILY I. 



CARNIVORA*. 



Two palpi to each maxilla, or six in all ; antennae almost always 

 filiform or setaceous, and simple. 



The maxillae arc terminated by a scaly hook or claw, and the in- 

 terior side is furnished with cilia or little spines. The ligula is fixed 

 in an emargination of the mentum. The two anterior legs are in- 

 serted on the sides of a compressed sternum, and placed on a large 

 patella ; the two posterior have a stout trochanter at their origin ; 

 their first joint is large, appears to be confounded with the post- 

 pectus, and forms a curvilinear triangle with the exterior side 

 excavated. 



These Insects pursue and devour others. Several have no wings 

 under their elytra. The anterior tarsi in most of the males are dilated 

 or widened. 



The larvae also are very carnivorous. Their body is usually cylin- 

 drical, elongated, and composed of twelve rings ; the head, which is 

 not included in this supputation, is large, squamous, armed with two 

 stout mandibles, recurved at the point, and presents two short and 

 conical antennae, two inaxillae divided into two branches, one of which 

 is formed by a palpus, a ligula bearing two palpi, shorter than the 

 others, and six small simple eyes on each side. The first annulus is 

 covered by a squamous plate ; the others are soft, or have but little 

 firmness. Each of the three first bears a pair of legs, the extremity 

 of which curves forwards. 



These larvae differ according to the genus. In those of the Cicin- 

 delae and of the Aristus bucephalus, the top of the head is very con- 

 cave in the middle, whilst its inferior portion is convex. They have 

 two small simple eyes, on each side, much larger, and similar to those 

 of the Lycosae. The superior plate of the first segment is large, and 

 forms a semicircular shield. There are two hooked mammillae on 

 the back of the eight annulus ; the last has no remarkable appendage. 



In the other larvae of this family which are known to us, those of 

 Omophron excepted, the head is weaker and more equal. The sim- 

 ple eyes are very small and similar. The squamous piece of the first 



* Carnassiers, Cuv. — Adephage, Clairv. This family, •which is one of the largest 

 of the Coleoptera, already illustrated by the labours of Weber, Clairville, and Bonelli, 

 with respect to the method, will finally be reduced to order, as regards tlie species, 

 if Count Dejeaa continue his " Species des Coltopteres," four volumes of which are 

 now published, a work remarkable for the exactness of its descriptions. 



