COLEOPTERA. 393 



FAMILY II. 



APHIDIPHAGI. 



THIS family consists mostly of insects which have an almost hemispherical 

 body, and a very short, transversal, and almost lunate thorax. Their antennae 

 terminate in a compressed and obconical club, composed by the three last 

 joints, and are shorter than the thorax. The last joint of the maxillary palpi 

 is very large and securiform, and the penultimate joint of the tarsi is pro- 

 foundly bilobate. 



In the other Trimera of the same family, the joints of the tarsi are simple, 

 and the penultimate at least is slightly bifid, which, with some other charac- 

 ters, distinguishes these insects from the Fungicolse. 



COCCINELLA. 



In Coccinella proper, the body is almost hemispherical, the thorax very 

 short, almost lunate, the margin not recurved or but very slightly, and the 

 penultimate joint of the tarsi profoundly bilobate. 



Various species of this genus are extremely common on the trees and plants 

 of our gardens, and frequently in our houses ; they are known by the names 

 of Cow-bug, Lady-bug, &c. They feed on Aphides, their larvae, which in 

 form and their metamorphoses greatly resemble those of the Chrysomelre, 

 employing the same aliment. 



There, the body is much flattened, in the form of a shield, and the head is 

 concealed under an almost semicircular thorax. The antennae present dis- 

 tinctly but nine joints, and terminate in an elongated club. The joints of the 

 tarsi are entire. The prsesternum forms a sort of chin-cloth anteriorly. Such 

 are the characters of the genus 



CLYPEASTER, Andersch. 

 They are found under the bark of trees, and under stones. 



FAMILY III. 





 PSELAPHII. 



THESE insects, which constitute our third and last family of the Trimera, 

 in their short and truncated elytra that only cover part of the abdomen, bear 

 a certain resemblance to the Bachelytra, and particularly to the Aleocharae. 

 This last part of their body, however, is much shorter, wide, very obtuse and 

 rounded posteriorly. The antennae, terminated by a club or thicker towards 

 the extremity, sometimes consist of but six joints. The maxillary palpi are 



