BEETLES. 35 



found upon the flowers of the sumach, whilst its larvae live in 

 the trunk of the mastic tree (Lentiscus) . The most abundant 

 Chalcophora (C. lavigata, Heer, fig. 259) is represented by an 

 Italian species (C. Fabricii, Rossi), which lives on peach- and 

 pear-trees. 



Seven species of Ancylochira have been detected at (Eningen ; 

 and, from the analogy of existing species, three of them lived 

 upon Conifers. One of these (A. tincta, Heer, fig. 258) still 

 beautifully shows its varied colours, agreeing in this respect with 

 A. octoguttata, Fab. The species of the genera Perotis, Eury- 

 thyrea, Dicerca, Agrilus, Anthaxia, and Sphenoptera were pro- 

 bably adorned with metallic colours. 



The great family of the Elateridae includes smaller insects. 

 The species from CEningen exhibit no remarkable forms ; among 

 them are Ampedi, the pale elytra of which were probably during 

 life of a bright red colour as in the living species, which feed 

 on the wood of Conifers and other leafy trees. There are also 

 several species of Corymbitis, very like the metallic C. ceneus, 

 Linn., and numerous species of E later, some with the elytra of 

 a uniform dark colour, others with those organs spotted and 

 edged with a pale border. The largest and most striking species 

 of Elater is represented in fig. 262. It is a very peculiar form, 

 most nearly resembling West-Indian species. 



The Lamellicornia are numerously represented in the torrid 

 zone. As regards the number of species, they occupy the 

 fourth place in tropical America, the third in the Indian archi- 

 pelago, and the second in Asia. In Switzerland they rank only 

 in the seventh place. Moreover, in the tropics the species are 

 much larger ; they are the giants of the insect world. In the 

 Swiss Tertiary land they take the sixth place, with forty-three 

 species, most of which are represented by European species, 

 although among them are a few exotic forms. Of the eight 

 families from (Eningen, three (the Geotrupidse, Copridee, and 

 Aphodiidse) include dung-beetles ; two (the Dynastidse and Me- 

 littophilidse) are formed by beetles which live, in the larval state, 

 in rotten wood, and, when adult, upon flowers ; and one (the 

 Melolonthidae) comprises insects of which the larvae feed on the 

 roots of plants, while the perfect insects devour the leaves of 

 trees. 



D2 



