of Buprestidse and Elateridse. 



207 



BUPRESTIDiE. 



Six Malpighian vessels, of 

 which the ends are fixed to the 

 angle of the intestine. 



The/olliculi testium very long, 

 tubular, at the base elliptically 

 dilated ; the ends of all the foUi- 

 culi in each testis twisted into a 

 spiral ; each testis furnished with 

 its own enclosing membrane. 



Two pairs of vesicul<e semi- 

 nales, — one thick, pear-shaped ; 

 the other long, tubiform, closely 

 twisted. 



Spermatheca very simple, elon- 

 gated, club-shaped, without ac- 

 cessory gland *. 



The ventral cords of the ner- 

 vous system separated in their 

 entire length. 



The ganglia of the mesothorax 

 and metathorax coalesced. 



Five abdominal ganglia ; only 

 the last three in the abdominal 

 cavity. The first abdominal gan- 

 glion distinct from the metatho- 

 racic ganglion. 



ELATERID^E. 



Four Malpighian vessels, with 

 free ends. 



The testes free ; the folliculi 

 short, more or less round, mutu- 

 ally free. 



Three pairs of vesiculce semi- 

 nales, of which two pairs vary 

 exceedingly in structure. 



Spermatheca of extremely vary- 

 ing, often very complicated struc- 

 ture, with large ramified acces- 

 sory gland. 



The ventral cords of the ner- 

 vous system separated only as far 

 as the metathoracic ganglion. 



All thoracic ganglia sepa- 

 rate. 



Eight abdominal ganglia ; the 

 last six situated in the abdominal 

 cavity. The first abdominal gan- 

 glion united with the metathora- 

 cic ganglion. 



IX. 



The investigations of which we have given the results in the 

 preceding pages prove that the mutual relation of these two 

 families is very different from what was formerly supposed. 

 With regard to development, structure, and habits of life, they 

 appear as widely separated as two families can be, within the 

 boundaries of the same principal division of animals. Amongst 

 Serricornia, Buprestidse occupy, in all stages of life, the same 

 place as Cerambycidae and, more jjarticularly, Lauiiini [Lamia, 

 Saperda, &c.) amongst the phytophagous or cryptopentamerous 

 Coleoptera. Elateridse, on the contrary, are carnivorous as larvae, 

 and in that stage of their life very like the larvae of Carabidae, 

 from which it follows (on account of the influence of the genera- 

 tive life on the structure) that also in their perfect state Elateridae 



* In the paper above quoted on the anatomy of Buprestida;, the bursa 

 copulatrix is erroneously represented as spermatheca, aud the true sperma- 

 theca as accessory gland — an error which was easily rectified by the use of 

 a better microscope. 



