252 



NATURAL ARRANGEMENT OP INSECTS. 



its representatives in the circle of the Monilicornes, ar 

 questions of minor importance, which analysis can alone 

 determine ; the latter supposition, however, appears to 

 us the most probable. Leaving these, we concur in the 

 opinion of others as to the affinity of Silpha with the 

 Staphylinida; {Brachelytra Latr.), which we accordingly 

 place as the last family of the predatorial tribe. That 

 this is its true situation in nature, is manifested by the 

 close resemblance of some of these genera, as Stenus, 

 &c., to the Cicindelidce. The circle of the Predatores, 

 under this view, no less than that of MacLeay, would 

 be thus closed ; and the relations of the whole to the 

 primary divisions of the Coleoptera may be thus 

 stated : — 



Analogies of the Predatores to the Tribes of 

 Coleoptera. 



Families of the 

 Predatores. 



ClCINDELIDf. 

 CaRABID£. 



Dytiscid^. 



SlLPHIOf. 

 StAPUYI,IMD£. 



Analogies. 



("Pre-eminently typical in their? 

 X own groups. J 



f Sub-typical; cursorial ; legs highly 7 

 X developed. j 



f Legs short, and greatly compress- 7 

 X ed. J 



{Body often globose ; tarsi very J 

 variable. J 



Jaws exserted ; head large. 



Tribes of the 

 Coleoptera. 



Lamellicornes. 



Predatores. 



Malacodehmes. 



Monilicornes. 

 Capricornes. 



(226.) Between groups which stand at the head of their 

 respective circles, there can be but faint analogies of 

 actual structure ; but their very typical pre-eminence is 

 in itself a point of strong analogy — as in the present 

 instance. Every one is aware, again, that the Cicinde- 

 lidce are the most cruel tyrants of the predaceous beetles, 

 and are much higher organised than the Carabidce; since 

 tliey not only run with greater agility, but add to their 

 speed by short flights. On the other hand, we have 

 seen that the lamellicorn insects are the most typical of 



